Abstract
This article reports on one aspect of a study investigating mindfulness in social work education and practice. Specifically, it explores its potential as a reflexive form of self-care in the ...journey from student to newly qualified social worker. Comprising a participatory action research approach, longitudinal qualitative design and bespoke mindfulness programme that included compassion-based and non-violent communication practices, the study tracked six participants who completed the programme from the end of the first year of their MSc in Social Work to six months into post-qualifying practice. The experiences of three other participants who were unable to complete were also considered. Data were gathered using interviews, discussions groups, questionnaires and the researchers’ reflections and analysed using thematic and framework analysis, and transformative learning theory. The findings suggest that a critical framing of mindfulness encouraged reflexive forms of self-care in three key ways: validating the importance of self-care and developing awareness of internalised oppression; supporting reflexive engagement with service users; and better mitigating work-related stress and role conflict. Further study of these emergent findings is recommended, focusing on the synergies between critical mindfulness and reflexivity and the profession’s social justice aims.
Abstract
The mindfulness-based social work and self-care (MBSWSC) programme was created in order to support social work students and practitioners to develop enhanced social work and self-care ...skills. This programme was found to improve feelings of stress, anxiety, mental well-being and burnout of thirty social work students. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was chosen in order to generate a comprehensive understanding of what the potential mechanisms of action of MBSWSC might be. Data were collected using validated quantitative measures and through an open-ended qualitative questionnaire. The quantitative data were analysed using regression analyses. The qualitative data were thematically analysed. Though this study contains limitations, it’s results suggest that social work student stress, feelings of burnout, anxiety and wellbeing can be improved by supporting students to develop approach-oriented stress coping skills and capacities in acceptance, mindfulness, self-compassion, non-attachment, attention regulation/decentering and non-aversion. This study suggests that these skills and capacities can work individually or collectively to directly improve these outcomes and also indirectly by reducing a student’s tendency to think negatively when they are stressed. The results provide some preliminary evidence on what the mechanisms of MBSWSC might be, enhancing our understanding of how mindfulness-based programmes might achieve positive outcomes.
Adult safeguarding legislation is contentious because it seeks to protect ‘vulnerable’ adults who fall between the borderlands of social care, mental health and mental capacity law. As a new and ...complex area of law and practice, further research on adult safeguarding legislation is required, in particular to consider it efficacy and human rights implications. Utilising a narrative literature review approach this article explores current research evidence on the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 to consider whether safeguarding powers and duties can achieve a proportionate balance between individual autonomy and the state's duties to protect adults at risk of harm and, if so, how. The findings demonstrate there is a wide range of people who can fall into these borderland areas. For a majority, the use of the Act has made significant positive differences to their lives. However, while supported decision-making was identified it was not found to be consistently applied. In addition, concerns emerged around the adequacy of some professionals' legal knowledge, the consistent upholding of adults' will and preferences, and the commitment to and resourcing of supported decision-making. Notwithstanding these drawbacks, it is concluded that this Act provides vital functions but amendments would enhance alignment with the CRPD.
•The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007) the Act provides a necessary safety net between the borderlands of mental health, capacity and social care law.•Best practice utilises supported decision-making approaches,relationship-based practice and advocacy services.•The Act meets human rights obligations under the UNCRPD, including, the right to legal capacity and the right to protection from exploitation, violence and abuse.•Evidence of deficits in practice, legal knowledge and supported decision-making, reflects a need for better resourcing and training.•This review supports the recommendations made by the Scottish Mental Health Law Review (2022), that the Act need to be changed to better align with the UNCRPD.
Abstract
This is the first study which has explored how social work students have applied the learning from a bespoke Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care (MBSWSC) programme to their social ...work practice. A qualitative research design was chosen, and a realist ontological position taken. The qualitative data were collected from reflective journals from seven social work students on placement who had completed the MBSWSC programme. An inductive thematic and comparative analysis methodology was used to identify key themes. This study found that the MBSWSC programme supported students to cope with the stress and anxiety that manifested before and during their placement. Students highlighted how switching from an avoidant to an approach oriented coping strategy allowed them to alleviate any negative thoughts or feelings they were experiencing. Students identified that this allowed them to employ more positive responses when dealing with stress. Students outlined that the learning from the programme allowed them to develop increased self-awareness, empathy, reflection and reflexivity skills, all of which will likely enhance their capacity for anti-oppressive social work practice. It is clear that improved access to the MBSWSC programme will allow social work students to develop the skills necessary to practice sustainably over the longer term.
Abstract Social workers are at high risk of work stress and burnout, with the Covid-19 reported to have amplified this risk. The Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-Care programme (MBSWSC) has ...been found to support cognitive and emotion regulation of social workers, leading to improved stress, burnout, mental health, and well-being. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aimed to replicate and expand the findings of an earlier RCT of MBSWSC, with a wider group of social work professionals (including managers), by evaluating the effects of MBSWSC (n = 29) versus an active control (n = 31). Replication of RCTs acts as an important means by which findings can be confirmed, results replicated, generalisability assessed and processes and applicability improved. When compared to an online active control group, MBSWSC (which was also delivered online) was found to improve stress, emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation of service users, anxiety, depression, well-being, along with a range of mindfulness mechanisms of action which support cognitive and emotion self-regulation. The results from this study evidence the acceptability, effectiveness and durability of MBSWSC, and provide clear guidance that if MBSWSC is implemented across social work services, social workers are likely to experience improvements in these critical social work practice and self-care outcomes.
Mental distress is prevalent across all social work contexts, yet social work's relationship with mental health is insufficiently articulated and the contributions practitioners make to this area of ...practice are under-recognised. This action research study sought to explore and address these concerns from academic, educational and practice perspectives. It was conducted in two parts: beginning with social work students at a Scottish university, followed by social workers in three practice settings. This paper reports on part one, which examined students' preparedness for working with mental distress in their final year placements. Using semi-structured questionnaires, a focus group and follow-up interviews, the study set out to enhance understanding of the social work role, identify gaps in educational provision and develop 'Learning Insights' to address them. Whilst the results here suggest that many students felt unprepared for the complexity of roles and tasks in working with mental distress, some reported successful engagement in powerful and transformative interventions by the use of relationship-based methods. The findings attest to a largely unsung but distinct professional contribution social work makes to the amelioration of mental distress—one that is relational, that transcends technical–rational concerns and is encapsulated in the concept of connection.
The primary objective of this study was to examine the effects of a bespoke and innovative six-week online Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-Care (MBSWSC) programme on the stress, feelings of ...burnout, anxiety, depression, and well-being of a sample of social workers. This secondary objective was to examine the effectiveness of MBSWSC at improving a number of potentially important mindfulness-based programme mechanisms of action, including mindfulness, attention regulation (decentering), acceptance, self-compassion, non-attachment, aversion, worry and rumination. A randomised controlled trial with repeated measures (pre-post intervention) was conducted to evaluate the effects of MBSWSC against an active control. The active control was a modified mindfulness-based programme which focussed on supporting increases in mindfulness and self-compassion in social workers with a view to improving the same primary study outcomes. Sixty-two participants were randomly allocated to MBSWSC (n = 33) or the active control (n = 29). When compared to the active control group, the MBSWSC programme was found to be significantly superior at improving stress, emotional exhaustion, anxiety, and depression. MBSWSC was also superior to the active control at improving acceptance, mindfulness, non-attachment, attention regulation (decentering) and worry of the social workers in this study. The results suggest that MBSWSC is a very useful therapeutic programme, which has the capacity to improve a range of important mental health and well-being outcomes for social workers. The results also indicate that the MBSWSC programme has the capacity to improve a range of important mindfulness-based mechanisms of action.
Trial registration
URL:
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov
; Unique identifier: NCT05519267 (retrospectively registered).
Informed by literature identifying the role of fear in decision making processes, the study upon which this paper is based sought to explore Mental Health Officers' (MHOs) experiences of fear and ...whether this influences their decisions to use powers of compulsory detention under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act (Scottish Government 2003). Semi-structured interviews exploring the experience of fear in mental health assessments were undertaken with eight MHOs employed by a Scottish Local Authority and findings indicated that it had a marked impact on MHO decision making. Two central themes emerged: first, a fear of doing harm to service users, their families or the wider public though making the 'wrong' decision; second, fear of public and professional scrutiny, should any such harm arise. The findings raise a number of recommendations for policy and practice in the statutory mental health field, in particular, the importance of acknowledging fear and identifying strategies to manage it in training and post qualifying practice for MHOs and equivalent roles in the UK and other jurisdictions. The findings also add weight to calls for additional research exploring the MHO role.
The evidence for the potential of mindfulness-based programmes to support improved social work practice and self-care is growing. The aim of this focus group study was to explore social workers' (n = ...13) experiences of the Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-care programme (MBSWSC). Thematic analysis highlighted two superordinate themes: benefits to direct social work practice and coping with the social work role. Four subordinate themes highlighted the different social work practice components that were enhanced through MBSWSC participation: social work assessment, service user engagement and team working, working to social work values, and social work skills. Three subordinate themes identified improvements in individual processes which supported enhanced stress coping: moving from avoidant to approach coping, improved boundaries, increased emotional awareness and reduced negative thinking. Our findings indicate that the MBSWSC programme can have a multi-faceted positive effect on social work practice, and on social work professional's capacity to cope with their role.
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).
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