Early Birds Avoid Burnout: Instilling Self-Care Practices in Social Work Students

Authors' Affiliations

Benjamin Albert, Department of Social Work, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN Isabella Adams, Department of Social Work, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN

Location

Culp Center Rm. 311

Start Date

4-25-2023 9:00 AM

End Date

4-25-2023 9:20 AM

Faculty Sponsor’s Department

Social Work

Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor

Donna Cherry

Classification of First Author

Graduate Student-Master’s

Competition Type

Non-Competitive

Type

Oral Case Study Presentation

Project's Category

Social Services, Mental Health, Educational Modes or Psychology or Theory

Abstract or Artist's Statement

The importance of self-care cannot be overstated in the field of social work, where practitioners are repeatedly exposed to high-stress and high-pressure situations and work directly with clients who have experienced trauma. Without sufficient preventative efforts, this facet of the field leads to job burn out and vicarious trauma (Wilson, 2016). Current research indicates that self-care is an important protective factor in preventing these negative impacts and enhancing professional satisfaction (Caurtero & Campos-Vidal, 2018; Lewis & King, 2019). Social work students consistently endorse high levels of stress due to the high volume of coursework combined with the field practicum experience (O’Neill, Slater, & Batt, 2019). Incorporating self-care education and practice into social work education is vital to preparing emergent social workers for success and longevity in the field. In response to this important problem, one social work faculty member offered a class assignment incorporating self-care in a meaningful way. MSW students conducted a case study, either using themselves or a first-year MSW student as the subject. They identified and tracked problem behaviors or emotions using evidence-based measurement tools and then implemented intervention techniques relating to self-care. This assignment served to not only recreate a clinical experience but also to encourage students to incorporate and measure the effects of self-care techniques. Satisfaction with study outcomes, motivation to continue the self-care intervention, and confidence level related to continuing were assessed at the end of the course. Study outcomes and continuation of interventions were re-assessed at a three-month follow-up. Fifteen MSW students completed the class assignment with eleven using themselves, and four choosing first-year MSW students, as subjects. All students (100%) were either satisfied or completely satisfied with their self-care study results; 77% indicated they were either motivated or completely motivated to continue their interventions with 55% responding they were either confident or completely confident they would continue their interventions. Of the eleven participants who participated in the three-month follow-up, 46% continued to decrease occurrences of their problem behaviors/emotions in comparison to their last reported rate of occurrence, 27% maintained consistent rates of occurrence, and 27% reported an increase in the rates of occurrence. All eleven participants stated that they still regularly utilize their interventions. Many social work students and faculty agree that self-care is important, but actual efforts to integrate realistic, meaningful educational opportunities encompassing self-care are missing from the curriculums. This study demonstrates that student self-care study and practice can be meaningfully incorporated as an engaging assignment, improving student well-being as well as in preparation for social work practice.

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Apr 25th, 9:00 AM Apr 25th, 9:20 AM

Early Birds Avoid Burnout: Instilling Self-Care Practices in Social Work Students

Culp Center Rm. 311

The importance of self-care cannot be overstated in the field of social work, where practitioners are repeatedly exposed to high-stress and high-pressure situations and work directly with clients who have experienced trauma. Without sufficient preventative efforts, this facet of the field leads to job burn out and vicarious trauma (Wilson, 2016). Current research indicates that self-care is an important protective factor in preventing these negative impacts and enhancing professional satisfaction (Caurtero & Campos-Vidal, 2018; Lewis & King, 2019). Social work students consistently endorse high levels of stress due to the high volume of coursework combined with the field practicum experience (O’Neill, Slater, & Batt, 2019). Incorporating self-care education and practice into social work education is vital to preparing emergent social workers for success and longevity in the field. In response to this important problem, one social work faculty member offered a class assignment incorporating self-care in a meaningful way. MSW students conducted a case study, either using themselves or a first-year MSW student as the subject. They identified and tracked problem behaviors or emotions using evidence-based measurement tools and then implemented intervention techniques relating to self-care. This assignment served to not only recreate a clinical experience but also to encourage students to incorporate and measure the effects of self-care techniques. Satisfaction with study outcomes, motivation to continue the self-care intervention, and confidence level related to continuing were assessed at the end of the course. Study outcomes and continuation of interventions were re-assessed at a three-month follow-up. Fifteen MSW students completed the class assignment with eleven using themselves, and four choosing first-year MSW students, as subjects. All students (100%) were either satisfied or completely satisfied with their self-care study results; 77% indicated they were either motivated or completely motivated to continue their interventions with 55% responding they were either confident or completely confident they would continue their interventions. Of the eleven participants who participated in the three-month follow-up, 46% continued to decrease occurrences of their problem behaviors/emotions in comparison to their last reported rate of occurrence, 27% maintained consistent rates of occurrence, and 27% reported an increase in the rates of occurrence. All eleven participants stated that they still regularly utilize their interventions. Many social work students and faculty agree that self-care is important, but actual efforts to integrate realistic, meaningful educational opportunities encompassing self-care are missing from the curriculums. This study demonstrates that student self-care study and practice can be meaningfully incorporated as an engaging assignment, improving student well-being as well as in preparation for social work practice.