The association between teacher distress and student mental health outcomes: a cross-sectional study using data from the school mental health survey.

Background: Few studies have examined the inter-relationships between teacher and student mental health. We aimed to examine associations between teacher distress and student mental health difficulties and if student perceptions of school safety moderate these associations.

Method: Data from 23,568 students in grades 6-12 and 1,478 teachers from 268 schools participating in the School Mental Health Surveys in Ontario, Canada, were used.