The Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care Programme: A Mixed Methods Evaluation Study

Abstract

During their social work education, students engage in a number of stressful learning activities, often simultaneously, which can negatively impact their well-being, mental health and social work practice. Mindfulness practices are beginning to be integrated into social work curricula globally to enhance student self-care along with key social work practice skills and values. This mixed methods study examined the effects of a bespoke six-week online mindfulness-based social work and self-care (MBSWSC) programme on the stress, burnout, well-being, anxiety and depression levels of thirty social work students from two universities in the UK. This study also examined the effects of MBSWSC on a number of mindfulness-based mediators of change in these outcomes. Participant perceptions of the benefits of the MBSWSC programme on their well-being and social work practice are further explored via a thematic analysis of an open-ended questionnaire. Statistically significant changes in all variables were found post-programme except for depression and loss of empathy/depersonalisation, a facet of burnout. The qualitative data provided a deeper insight into the potential benefits of the programme for the enhancement of student well-being, mental health and anti-oppressive social work practice (AOP).

The Clinically Modified Buddhist Psychological Model for Social Work Practice and Self-care

“…As Jane's mindfulness practice develops and the CBPM domains strengthen, the internal supervision process may also allow Jane to become aware and attuned to their own cognitive narratives (schemas) that manifest in social work interactions, which may be based on assumption and conditioning (e.g. pejorative narratives about oppressed groups, or one's own experience of trauma) and any negative emotional reactions that might occur due to these (McCusker, 2021). The improved CBPM domains would allow these thoughts and emotions to arise and pass in order to be more attuned to the service user and their needs, while being more clearly able to identify what the best course of action might be, in line with social work best practice (Gockel et al, 2013).…”

Implementing the Learning from the Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-care Programme to Social Work Student Practice during COVID-19: A Qualitative Study

“…It is clear that social work students consistently experience unique stressors as part of their social work education, but rarely receive comprehensive training or education on how to regulate this stress, along with negative thoughts and emotions that can arise as part of their education (Turner, 2009;Gockel and Deng, 2016). The process of socialising to the role of social worker, during a student's placement, is a time when a student social worker is particularly vulnerable to stress (Maddock et al, 2021). Students may be working with service users and distressing life scenarios for the first time and students may need to navigate the complex thoughts and emotions that can accompany practice in challenging environments (Lynn and Mensinga, 2015).…”

“…During their placement, students are also particularly vulnerable to self-doubt as they attempt to practice the social work skills and develop the competencies necessary to be a professionally qualified social worker (Gockel et al, 2013). When students engage in critical reflections on practice, self-doubt can lead to self-critical, worried or ruminative thinking about their performance, due to often unfair, negative self-appraisals of their practice, which can be compounded if they receive negative feedback, selfperceived or not, by their practice teachers (Gockel et al, 2013;Maddock et al, 2021). The more persistent these stressors, and negative thoughts, emotions and physical sensations that accompany them are, the more a student's self-awareness is likely to be hindered by negative thinking processes, for example, worry or rumination (Maddock et al, 2021).…”

“…When students engage in critical reflections on practice, self-doubt can lead to self-critical, worried or ruminative thinking about their performance, due to often unfair, negative self-appraisals of their practice, which can be compounded if they receive negative feedback, selfperceived or not, by their practice teachers (Gockel et al, 2013;Maddock et al, 2021). The more persistent these stressors, and negative thoughts, emotions and physical sensations that accompany them are, the more a student's self-awareness is likely to be hindered by negative thinking processes, for example, worry or rumination (Maddock et al, 2021). These negative thinking processes can clutter a student's selfawareness and distract them from integrating the key learning from practice experiences, and also make it less likely that they will acquire and integrate key social work skills, values and competencies (Gockel et al, 2013).…”

“…These negative thinking processes can clutter a student's selfawareness and distract them from integrating the key learning from practice experiences, and also make it less likely that they will acquire and integrate key social work skills, values and competencies (Gockel et al, 2013). If this stress is left unchecked, it will also likely lead to inevitable declines in their mental health and well-being (Maddock et al, 2021).…”