Project Title: Psychosocial Reactions to a Global Pandemic: A Diary Study During COVID-19. Design: The study uses a mixed methods design that includes both a cross-sectional quantitative survey and qualitative diary entries submitted online eight times by student participants. Context of Study: The study timeline spans the full shutdown, phase 1 reopening, and phase 2 reopening of New Orleans Louisiana. Objectives: The study has three primary objectives: (1) To better understand the experiences of Social Work Students during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) To explore risk and protective factors that influences Social Work Students’ ability to cope with stressors and changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic; and (3) to track changes over time in coping among Social Work Students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study Population: Current Master of Social Work (MSW) Students enrolled at Tulane University during the COVID-19 Pandemic will be invited to participate in this study.
Qualitative Longitudinal Research (QLR) is an evolving methodology used in understanding the rich and in-depth experiences of individuals over time. QLR is particularly conducive to pandemic or disaster-related studies, where unique and rapidly changing environments warrant fuller descriptions of the human condition. Despite QLR’s usefulness, there are a limited number of articles that detail the methodology and analysis, especially in the social sciences, and specifically social work literature. As researchers adjust their focus to incorporate the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic, there is a growing need in understanding the progression and adaptation of the pandemic on individuals’ lives. This article provides a process and strategy for implementing QLR and analyzing data in online diary entries. In the provided case example, we explore a phenomenological QLR conducted with graduate level students during the COVID-19 pandemic ( Saltzman et al., 2021 ) , and outline a matrix framework for QLR analysis. This paper provides an innovative way in which to engage in qualitative data collection and analysis for social science research.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused additional strain and disruption to an already strained mental health workforce. Life disruption, compassion fatigue, and traumatic stress are contributing to record levels of burnout. Efforts are needed to improve retention and the well-being of mental health providers, yet little is known about the personal traits that contribute to compassion satisfaction during difficult times. Professional grit is an emerging concept that has broad applicability and makes a potentially unique contribution to the experiences of professionals in the context of COVID-19. Our paper describes perceptions of professional grit and its association with compassion fatigue and traumatic stress. A small exploratory study was used to analyze results from an online survey of mental health workers (N = 31). Measures included compassion fatigue, secondary traumatic stress, and grit, along with open-ended questions to explore perceived contributors to grit. Results confirmed the added stress mental health professionals are working under and 29% met the cut-off for significant traumatic stress symptoms. Participants' responses were coded and a primary theme and contributor to professional grit is coping, inclusive of adaptation, selfcare, perseverance, and professional and personal support. Further, participants identifying the coping skills of self-care, adaptation, and perseverance scored higher on a measure of professional grit. Our study also suggests that grit and suffering are not mutually exclusive, such that many of our participants reported components of professional grit and also reported posttraumatic stress and compassion fatigue symptoms. More extensive studies on the function of professional grit and services to improve coping skills are needed.
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