Social Work Student Self Care and Academic Stress

Background: Past research has found that increased stress in students is correlated with decreased learning (Goff, 2009), and poor health outcomes (Schure, Christopher & Christopher, 2008). Social work students are uniquely positioned to experience multiple stresses not only from academic and family sources but also due to the nature of the work and participation in a field internship.  The purpose of the study was to explore ways to assist social work students in reducing and managing their academic stress. The research questions was, Is there a relationship between self care and academic stress.  

Method: This study was a cross sectional survey research design. All BASW and MSW students (N=90) at Humboldt State University were surveyed in 2012. The survey consisted of demographic questions, self-care questions designed for this survey, and the Academic Stress Scale (Kohn & Frazer, 1986). Most students were female (n = 74, 82%). Half were Caucasian (n = 53, 59%), 18% Latino/a (n= 16), 5% African American or Black (6%) and approximately half were in the Bachelor's program (n = 48, 53%). The mean age was 29 years old. Linear Regressions were performed to determine which factors predict academic stress.  

Results:  The final model included daily self-care practice and social work program level. The linear model accounted for 19% of the variance in academic stress, R²= .212, adjusted R²= .190. The model estimated from a sample of 75 was statistically significant, F(2,72) = 9.69, p < .01. A power analysis using G* Power, determined a model a sample of 75 to be ample for a model with 2 predictors.

Holding  social work program constant, predicted academic stress was reduced by .62 for those that practice daily self care, b = -.62, t = -3.61, p < ,01, 95% CI from -.960 to -.276. Holding daily self-care constant predicted academic stress was reduced by .17 for each additional year in the social work program, b = -.17, t = -2.44, p = .02, 95% CI from -.313 to 1.032.

Conclusion and Implications: The findings suggest that social work faculty could encourage students to practice self-care to reduce academic stress, however, it is important that they practice daily self-care.  Practicing self-care weekly or monthly was not related to academic stress and didn’t make it into the model.  In addition, as students progress through the program they experience minimally less academic stress. More studies are needed to examine other factors that may also reduce academic stress for social work students.