About the project

In the scope of our study "InSel", we aim to develop a tailored training program for teachers designed to identify internalizing symptoms in students. Internalizing symptoms, such as social withdrawal or feelings of sadness and anxiety, often go unnoticed in children. However, recognizing signs of a possible condition is crucial to provide early assistance to the affected children.

Children often lack the ability to attribute symptoms like sadness or insomnia to psychological problems. They rely on their caregivers to recognize whether internalizing symptoms are present and whether further investigation is needed.

As a teacher, you play a particularly vital role in identifying internalizing symptoms. Some symptoms only manifest in the school context, and your daily interactions with many children of the same age provide a broad basis for comparison, allowing you to realistically assess symptoms.

Therefore, the primary goal of our study is to determine how teacher assessments, in addition to the self-assessment of the children and parental assessments, contribute to identifying internalizing issues. We aim to understand which factors (such as school or class size) influence your judgment as a teacher.

Following this study, teachers from participating schools will have the opportunity to participate in a training program developed within the project. This program builds on the study's findings and is tailored to the individual needs of the schools. It will focus on identifying such symptoms based on specific characteristics, how to address them with students, and what measures, both within and outside the school, can be taken to assist those affected.