Training Students in Self-Care: Preliminary Evaluation of a Mindfulness-Based Course for Social Work Students

Background and Purpose

Occupational stress and burnout is a significant issue for the social work profession. New trainees may be particularly vulnerable to occupational stress, and often begin to encounter challenges in their field placements and even in the classroom. Occupational stress can impact work performance and client care, as well as student well-being.

Mindfulness training has been shown to reduce stress, promote well-being and foster self-regulation among mental health professionals. Yet, few studies have targeted social workers, with even fewer examining the impact of mindfulness training for social work students. Questions about the appropriateness, timing, and efficacy of introducing mindfulness into social work education abound.

In this paper, we evaluate a voluntary, non-credit course that introduces mindfulness as a form of self-care for social work students in an MSW program. We focused on examining the feasibility and initial outcomes of the training, while also assessing its utility for social work education. Our initial research questions were: Is there sufficient interest to warrant the training? Does the course support student self-care and well-being? Does the course contribute to students’ preparation for the field?

Methods

We used a mixed-methods single group pre-posttest design to investigate these initial questions. The sample was drawn from 54 students attending the course: 86% were female, 75% were white, with an average age of 28. Thirty-six students completed surveys assessing mindfulness, self-compassion, decentering, and emotional distress. Results were analyzed in SPSS 21 using the non-parametric Wilcoxin signed rank test to assess for changes over the course of the program with non-normal data. Forty-four students responded to a series of open-ended questions asking what they learned in the course, how they would carry this learning forward, and what they wanted the school to know about their experience. Responses were coded inductively by multiple coders using thematic analysis to identify and gain consensus on major themes.

Results

Participants reported significant, medium-sized gains in mindfulness (z(29)=-4.53, p<.001, r=-.58, med_pre=2.98, med_pst=3.66), self-compassion (z(29)=-4.30, p<.001, r=-.55, med_pre=3.12, med_pst=3.60), and decentering (z(29)=-4.17, p<.001, r=-.53, med_pre=33, med_pst=39), as well as a small reduction in emotional distress z(29)=+2.36, p<.05, r=-.29, med_pre=29, med_pst=24) over the course of the program. Qualitative findings indicated that students experienced enhanced self-awareness and well-being, and established a foundation for self-care through mindfulness. Students viewed the training as complementing their learning in the classroom, and reported that it helped develop key therapeutic skills they learned about in the classroom such as presence, attentiveness, and compassion to enhance their preparation for the field. Students further viewed the training as reflecting the school’s recognition of the critical importance of self-care in professional training, and endorsed continuing the course.

Conclusions and Implications

Results from this initial evaluation suggest that mindfulness training is a viable approach to accomplishing key goals in social work education including: helping students manage stress and maintain well-being, increasing students’ self-awareness and fostering an ongoing practice of self-care, and enhancing students' in-class learning and preparation for the field.