Weidling Katja, Spoerlé David, Heller Flavio Mariano, Stadtmann Manuel P
Department of Health, OST - Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, Competence Centre for Mental Health, 9001, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Design & Engineering, Department of Technology, OST - Eastern Switzerland University of Applied Sciences, IDEE Institute for Innovation, 9001, St. Gallen, Switzerland.
BMC Public Health. 2025 Apr 28;25(1):1574. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-22852-8.
The foundation for mental health is laid in childhood and adolescence. For young people, adolescence is associated with multiple developmental tasks. In this vulnerable phase of life, they often start a vocational training. Particularly during vocational training in the health and social care sector, adolescents are confronted with highly stressful situations, e.g., serious illness, death, or sexual harassment. In this study we aimed to explore adolescents' experiences and perceptions affecting their mental health during vocational education and training.
We performed five focus group interviews with a total of 41 vocational education and training students from different fields in the health and social care professions. Data analysis was based on Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) according to Smith.
We identified five superordinate themes and 17 subordinate themes. The personal circumstances and the pronounced shortage of staff throughout the health and social care sector play a major role for the vocational education and training students' (VETs) mental health during their vocational training. In addition, vocational education and training students are confronted with various challenges that are atypical for their age (e.g. the death of a patient). They try to being able to maintain a balance between the stressful factors and the coping strategies available to them. This can improve as well as worsen mental health and well-being. Vocational education and training students express the need to counteract the stressful factors of their vocational training with positive aspects of their lives. They try to find a bridge to the outside world again. However, they depend on the support from the vocational training school, the vocational training company, and their social environment.
Today's vocational education and training students are tomorrow's skilled workers. Investing in their mental health can help reduce staff shortages in the long term and prevent mental health impairments in this vulnerable group. To this end, training institutions, companies and politicians should create appropriate framework conditions.
心理健康的基础在童年和青少年时期奠定。对于年轻人来说，青春期与多项发展任务相关。在人生的这一脆弱阶段，他们往往开始接受职业培训。特别是在卫生和社会护理领域的职业培训期间，青少年会面临高度紧张的情况，例如重病、死亡或性骚扰。在本研究中，我们旨在探讨青少年在职业教育和培训期间影响其心理健康的经历和看法。
我们对来自卫生和社会护理专业不同领域的41名职业教育和培训学生进行了五次焦点小组访谈。数据分析基于史密斯的解释现象学分析（IPA）。
我们确定了五个上位主题和17个下位主题。个人情况以及整个卫生和社会护理部门明显的人员短缺，对职业教育和培训学生（VETs）在职业培训期间的心理健康起着重要作用。此外，职业教育和培训学生面临着各种与其年龄不符的挑战（例如患者死亡）。他们试图在压力因素和可用的应对策略之间保持平衡。这既可以改善也可能恶化心理健康和幸福感。职业教育和培训学生表示需要用生活中的积极方面来抵消职业培训的压力因素。他们试图再次找到与外界的桥梁。然而，他们依赖于职业培训学校、职业培训公司及其社会环境的支持。
如今的职业教育和培训学生将成为明天的技术工人。投资于他们的心理健康有助于长期减少人员短缺，并预防这一弱势群体的心理健康损害。为此，培训机构、公司和政界人士应创造适当的框架条件。
