Using Mixed Methods to Assess the Coping and Self-regulation Skills of Undergraduate Social Work Students Impacted by COVID-19

Abstract

Developing coping and self-care strategies has always been important for social work students as they prepare for work that can take a psychological, emotional, mental, and physical toll and adversely impact their health and well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented in its impact on social work education as it forced students to quickly transition to online learning and leave field sites abruptly to do remote activities. The degree to which and how social work students effectively coped with these changes has not been adequately studied, despite recognition that understanding how personal experiences and affective reactions influence professional judgment and behavior is a critical social work competency. To help fill this void, a mixed-methods study was conducted using video narratives and survey data to assess the coping and self-regulation skills of a cohort of undergraduate social work students. Findings indicate that these students experienced multiple stressors in all aspects of their biopsychosocial functioning due to COVID-19. Many coping skills learned for use with clients were demonstrated by students themselves. Self-sufficient, avoidant, and socially-supported coping mechanisms were frequently used and relied on by students. Use of self-distraction and active coping increased, while denial decreased within the first month after transitioning to remote learning. Implications of the findings for social work education, practice, and research are discussed.

Coping with Stress During the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic by Polish University Students: Strategies, Structure, and Relation to Psychological Well-Being

“…In American undergraduate social-work students, the use of self-distraction and active coping increased, while denial decreased with the first month of transition to remote learning. 28 …”

“…27 American undergraduate social work students most frequently used acceptance, venting, seeking emotional support, self-distraction, and planning, while substance use, self-blame, and behavioral disengagement were the least used. 28 In the group of Polish students studying physical education, acceptance, then positive reframing, planning, and active coping were at the top of the hierarchy of strategies for coping with stress during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. 29 The question arises as to whether the frequency of using different strategies during the second wave of the pandemic, 8 months after its initial outbreak, was similar.…”

The challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic and the way people deal with them. A qualitative longitudinal study

“…Therefore, in order to explore and understand it deeply, qualitative methodology was applied. Although there were few qualitative studies on the reaction to the pandemic [e.g., 31 – 33 ], they did not capture the perception of the challenges and their changes that arise as the pandemic develops. Since the situation with the COVID-19 pandemic is very dynamic, the reactions to the various restrictions, orders or bans are evolving.…”

COVID-19 Fear, Resilience, Social Support, Anxiety, and Suicide among College Students in Spain

“…Specifically, social work must respond to the needs of its students, appealing not only to their commitment to university institutions but also complying with their professional deontology [91]. Different studies carried out with college students studying social work during the COVID-19 pandemic [87,92,93] propose establishing a model that puts the students themselves at the center of the educational organization to strengthen academic certainty and reduce stressors associated with epidemiological exposure to COVID-19.…”