A pilot study evaluating the factors associated with psychological distress of school teachers in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan

Objective: We investigated the psychological distress of school teachers using a 6-item instrument (the K6) in Kagawa prefecture, Japan. Methods: A total of 670 school teachers (328 men and 342 women) were analyzed in this cross-sectional investigation study. The association between psychological distress and clinical factors was evaluated by using the K6 instrument, with psychological distress defined as 13 or more points out of a total of 24 points. Results: A total of 55 teachers (8.2%) were classified as having psychological distress. No significant relationships between the K6 score and sex, age, duration of experience as a teacher, school grade and title were noted. The K6 score in teachers with consciousness of suicide among students was higher than that without, but not at a significant level. Conclusion: Some teachers were defined as having psychological distress in Kagawa prefecture, Japan. However, no relevant effects of basic characteristics such as age and sex on psychological distress were recognized.