A Scalable Teacher Professional Development and Wellness Program in Primary Schools
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Population Health, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York
- 2College of Health Science, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
- 3Uganda Ministry of Education and Sports, Embassy House, Kampala, Uganda
- 4Uganda Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
- 5Department of Global and Environmental Health, New York University School of Global Public Health, New York
- 6Department of Psychology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York
Abstract
Importance: In Uganda and other low-income settings with prevalent mental health problems and limited resources, scalable professional development (PD) models are needed to strengthen teachers’ capacity to apply evidence-based practices to support child mental health.
Objective: To examine the short-term effectiveness of PD and PD with a teacher-wellness enhancement (PDT) compared with a control condition on teacher knowledge and use of evidence-based practices, teacher stress, and teacher stress management; implementation outcomes; and the differential outcomes between urban and rural primary schools in Uganda.
Design, Setting, and Participants: This cluster randomized clinical trial was conducted in 47 urban and rural schools in Uganda between August 2021 and February 2025. Participating teachers in the schools were followed-up 24 months after the intervention, and the present trial focused on short-term teacher outcomes. Statistical analysis followed the intention-to-treat principle.
Interventions: Schools and teachers were randomized to 1 of 3 conditions: PD, PDT, and control. The PD intervention (mWEL-PD or Mental Wellbeing and Empowering Lives of the School Community: Professional Development) consisted of 3 days of training and 8 one-hour coaching sessions in person for 2 to 3 months. The PDT intervention (mWEL-PD with a teacher-wellness enhancement) was provided as the PD program plus a 1-day workshop and 3 group support sessions. The control condition offered no intervention during year 1, but mental health knowledge and promotion materials and a 1-day teacher-wellness workshop were provided in year 2.
Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcomes for PD and PDT groups were knowledge and use of evidence-based practices. Teachers completed 15 self-report measures assessing 4 key outcomes: knowledge of evidence-based practices, use of evidence-based practices, teacher stress, and teacher stress management. Implementation outcomes, self-assessed after completion of the intervention, included teacher engagement in the intervention, teacher perception of acceptability and usefulness of the content, and teacher perception of the competence of the program facilitators.
Results: A total of 47 schools with 509 teachers (mean [SD] age, 40.60 [11.12] years; 368 females [72.3%]) were included in the analysis. Among the schools, 15 (31.9%) were randomly assigned to the control, 16 (34.0%) to the PD, and 16 (34.0%) to the PDT groups. Among teachers, 165 (32.4%) were randomly assigned to the control, 187 (36.7%) to the PD, and 157 (30.8%) to the PDT groups. Teacher attendance at training and coaching sessions and ratings of relevance and facilitator competence were high in both urban and rural contexts. Compared with teachers in the PD group, those in the PDT group were more likely to attend all training days offered (120 of 187 [64.1%] in the PD group vs 127 of 157 [80.9%] in the PDT group) and participated in more coaching sessions (mean [SD] number, 4.58 [2.91] vs 6.09 [2.28]). Compared with teachers in the control condition, teachers in the PDT condition benefited on all 4 key outcomes: increased knowledge (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.57; 95% CI, 0.26-0.88) and use (SMD, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.01-0.71) of evidence-based practices, increased stress management (SMD, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.19-0.80), and decreased stress (SMD, −0.27; 95% CI, −0.54 to 0.01). Benefits of PD were limited to knowledge of evidence-based practices (SMD, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.03-0.62).
Conclusions and Relevance: This trial of a scalable teacher PD program delivered through existing educational infrastructure and resources demonstrates the program’s feasibility, acceptability, and impact on self-reported teacher outcomes. The finding of short-term benefits for teacher practice and wellness suggests the potential of the PDT model for school-based mental health promotion.
Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04383327
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BibTeX
@article{huang2026scalable,
title = {{A Scalable Teacher Professional Development and Wellness Program in Primary Schools}},
author = {Keng-Yen Huang and Janet Nakigudde and Hyung G. Park and Eddie Tinka Mugisa and Christine Tusiime and Elizabeth Nsamba Kisakye and Sabrina Cheng and Michelle Boyd and Solomon Kamya and Jimmy Mayatsa and Dickson Muyomba and Hafsa Sentongo Lukwata and Yesim Tozan and Tracy A. Dennis-Tiwary and Laurie Miller Brotman},
journal = {JAMA Network Open},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.42259},
url = {https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2856325},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A Scalable Teacher Professional Development and Wellness Program in Primary Schools
AU - Keng-Yen Huang
AU - Janet Nakigudde
AU - Hyung G. Park
AU - Eddie Tinka Mugisa
AU - Christine Tusiime
AU - Elizabeth Nsamba Kisakye
AU - Sabrina Cheng
AU - Michelle Boyd
AU - Solomon Kamya
AU - Jimmy Mayatsa
AU - Dickson Muyomba
AU - Hafsa Sentongo Lukwata
AU - Yesim Tozan
AU - Tracy A. Dennis-Tiwary
AU - Laurie Miller Brotman
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/06
JO - JAMA Network Open
DO - 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.42259
UR - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2856325
AB - Importance: In Uganda and other low-income settings with prevalent mental health problems and limited resources, scalable professional development (PD) models are needed to strengthen teachers’ capacity to apply evidence-based practices to support child mental health. Objective: To examine the short-term effectiveness of PD and PD with a teacher-wellness enhancement (PDT) compared with a control condition on teacher knowledge and use of evidence-based practices, teacher stress, and teacher stress management; implementation outcomes; and the differential outcomes between urban and rural primary schools in Uganda. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cluster randomized clinical trial was conducted in 47 urban and rural schools in Uganda between August 2021 and February 2025. Participating teachers in the schools were followed-up 24 months after the intervention, and the present trial focused on short-term teacher outcomes. Statistical analysis followed the intention-to-treat principle. Interventions: Schools and teachers were randomized to 1 of 3 conditions: PD, PDT, and control. The PD intervention (mWEL-PD or Mental Wellbeing and Empowering Lives of the School Community: Professional Development) consisted of 3 days of training and 8 one-hour coaching sessions in person for 2 to 3 months. The PDT intervention (mWEL-PD with a teacher-wellness enhancement) was provided as the PD program plus a 1-day workshop and 3 group support sessions. The control condition offered no intervention during year 1, but mental health knowledge and promotion materials and a 1-day teacher-wellness workshop were provided in year 2. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcomes for PD and PDT groups were knowledge and use of evidence-based practices. Teachers completed 15 self-report measures assessing 4 key outcomes: knowledge of evidence-based practices, use of evidence-based practices, teacher stress, and teacher stress management. Implementation outcomes, self-assessed after completion of the intervention, included teacher engagement in the intervention, teacher perception of acceptability and usefulness of the content, and teacher perception of the competence of the program facilitators. Results: A total of 47 schools with 509 teachers (mean [SD] age, 40.60 [11.12] years; 368 females [72.3%]) were included in the analysis. Among the schools, 15 (31.9%) were randomly assigned to the control, 16 (34.0%) to the PD, and 16 (34.0%) to the PDT groups. Among teachers, 165 (32.4%) were randomly assigned to the control, 187 (36.7%) to the PD, and 157 (30.8%) to the PDT groups. Teacher attendance at training and coaching sessions and ratings of relevance and facilitator competence were high in both urban and rural contexts. Compared with teachers in the PD group, those in the PDT group were more likely to attend all training days offered (120 of 187 [64.1%] in the PD group vs 127 of 157 [80.9%] in the PDT group) and participated in more coaching sessions (mean [SD] number, 4.58 [2.91] vs 6.09 [2.28]). Compared with teachers in the control condition, teachers in the PDT condition benefited on all 4 key outcomes: increased knowledge (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.57; 95% CI, 0.26-0.88) and use (SMD, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.01-0.71) of evidence-based practices, increased stress management (SMD, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.19-0.80), and decreased stress (SMD, −0.27; 95% CI, −0.54 to 0.01). Benefits of PD were limited to knowledge of evidence-based practices (SMD, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.03-0.62). Conclusions and Relevance: This trial of a scalable teacher PD program delivered through existing educational infrastructure and resources demonstrates the program’s feasibility, acceptability, and impact on self-reported teacher outcomes. The finding of short-term benefits for teacher practice and wellness suggests the potential of the PDT model for school-based mental health promotion. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04383327
SN - 2574-3805
ER -