THURS-059 - Beyond the Curriculum: The Realities of Teaching Mental Health First Aid

Brief Abstract Summary: This study examines the experiences of MHFA instructors to gain a deeper understanding of their motivations, challenges, and perspectives on training delivery. Through interviews, instructors identified both barriers and facilitators in teaching MHFA, while also voicing the need for program improvements to better serve students. Findings suggest that strengthening instructor support, reducing barriers to delivery, and integrating participant-centered changes are essential to improving MHFA’s overall effectiveness. This presentation will describe the results and their implications for the future of MHFA training.

Detailed abstract description:

Background: Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) equips individuals with the knowledge and skills to recognize and respond to mental health crises. While the evidence-based program has gained wide adoption across educational, workplace, and community settings, relatively little is known about the motivations and experiences of those delivering the training. Understanding instructor perspectives is important due to the growing reliance on MHFA as a complementary service to traditional mental health systems. As communities seek to build capacity in recognizing and responding to mental health challenges, MHFA instructors bridge critical gaps by empowering participants with practical tools. Instructors play a pivotal role in ensuring program quality and effectiveness. Exploring the drivers behind why instructors pursue MHFA instructor certification, the barriers and facilitators they encounter, and their perspectives on student needs provides important insights into strengthening both instructor support and training delivery.

Methods: To examine instructor experiences, we conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with MHFA instructors. Interviews were conducted over Zoom with informed consent to record and transcribe sessions. Three independent researchers completed the analysis. First, each analyst reviewed the full transcript of each interview separately, identifying preliminary codes and patterns. Next, the team cross-checked findings to ensure consistency and resolve differences through discussion. A thematic analysis was used, including an inductive coding approach, emphasizing close reading of transcripts and iterative comparison across cases. Codes were grouped into themes around motivations for teaching, barriers and facilitators to instruction, and recommendations for changes to delivery. This collaborative process allowed for triangulation of findings across analysts and ensured that both individual perspectives and shared themes were captured.

Results: Instructors were primarily motivated by service values, personal experiences with mental health, and a strong commitment to community education. The most significant barrier was time, especially the challenge of delivering full-day trainings. Facilitators included the evidence-based curriculum, teaching resources, and the value of active learning strategies in engaging participants. Instructors recommended greater scheduling flexibility, reduced administrative tasks, and periodic content updates to align with evolving community needs.

Conclusions: MHFA instructors are driven by a strong sense of purpose and community commitment, but face logistical and structural challenges that hinder optimal delivery. Addressing these barriers through greater flexibility, ongoing instructor support, and periodic curriculum updates can strengthen MHFA’s reach and effectiveness.