Promoting mental health and well-being in physical education: a qualitative study on teachers and lecturers’ perceptions and practices in Malta

Debates about the importance of mental health and well-being in the context of education and physical education have burgeoned in recent years. Yet, despite the recognition that good teachers have their students' mental health and well-being high on their agenda, participation in PE lessons does not provide universally positive experiences to all students. Furthermore, there is very little understanding of how PE teachers promote positive mental health and well-being in their lessons. The present study was designed to understand Maltese PE teachers' and sports lecturers' perceptions and practices concerning the role of PE in relation to children's mental health and well-being. Interviews with nine Maltese PE teachers and three sports lecturers were structured to explore how PE teachers defined mental health and well-being, their perceptions concerning the role of PE for mental health and well-being, and what they did to promote mental health and well-being in their lessons. The different definitions these teachers provided highlighted the interconnection between mental health and well-being. In line with scholarly work and curriculum debates, these teachers believed that due to the content, nature and context of the lessons, PE can play an important role in promoting students' mental health and well-being. To fulfil this, teachers advocated the creation of a stimulating, inclusive and safe environment through the implementation of different practices which resonated with some of the core features of inclusive and student-voice pedagogies. They also elicited external challenges, a degree of uncertainty, and a lack of clarity as important factors hindering the implementation of such practices. The paper suggests that targeted professional development must be available for all stakeholders within PE so that a clear identification about its role in addressing the mental health and well-being of students is instilled. Further research is needed to establish what type of training is the most effective to address the different perceptions and to offer the necessary skills, knowledge and resources required.