Strengthening educators' mental health: Evidence-based interventions for managing disruptive learner behaviour in Sub-Saharan Africa: Scoping review protocol

The objective of this scoping review protocol is to systematically identify and map the current evidence on interventions aimed at enhancing the mental health of educators teaching learners with disruptive behavior in sub-Saharan Africa. Disruptive behavior among learners is linked to heightened levels of stress, burnout, and psychological distress among educators, underscoring the urgent need for targeted interventions to safeguard their mental well-being. While various interventions addressing disruptive behavior have been documented in other global contexts, these often cater to differing educational environments and predominantly focus on learner support rather than addressing the needs of educators. Consequently, there appears to be a paucity of evidence concerning initiatives specifically designed to bolster the mental health of educators within sub-Saharan African contexts. This scoping review will adhere to the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for scoping reviews and will be reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. An exhaustive search strategy will be implemented across multiple electronic databases as well as pertinent grey literature sources. The screening of studies will take place through title, abstract, and full-text review based on pre-defined eligibility criteria. Data from the studies that meet the eligibility requirements will be extracted and charted to summarize their characteristics, intervention types, and outcomes. The findings will be presented through descriptive summaries, tables, and narrative synthesis. By mapping the existing evidence, this review will not only pinpoint current interventions but also identify literature gaps and generate insights for future research, policy development, and practice aimed at promoting the mental health of educators who work with learners exhibiting disruptive behavior in sub-Saharan Africa.