Abstract
Compassion related stress, including burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue, is a primary concern within social work and other helping professions. Many enter these professions with their own adverse experiences and a desire to “give back.” Yet, educational institutions often fail to respond to the mental health and wellness crisis among students and, therefore, do not prepare students for the realities of working in highly rewarding, yet increasingly challenging professions. This session overviews data collected from a multiyear, ongoing study on social work students’ mental health and wellness needs and priorities. Demographic data, as well as depression, anxiety, and stress scores, adverse childhood experience scores, and prioritization of wellness needs have been collected from over 400 bachelor and masters-level students at a mid-size public university in the Northeastern U.S. since 2020. Additionally, a qualitative, “photovoice,” component of this study has recently been added to better understand the lived realities and experiences of students as they navigate myriad life stressors on their way to entering the professional world. A summary of this data is presented and a call to action, including possible implications for professional development and readiness, are explored.
Presenters
Pamela SzczygielAssistant Professor, School of Social Work, Bridgewater State University, Massachusetts, United States Taylor Hall
Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Bridgewater State University, Massachusetts, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Health Promotion and Education
KEYWORDS
Practitioner Well-Being, Workplace Wellness, Health Promotion for Practitioners, Mind-Body-Spirit
Digital Media
This presenter hasn’t added media.
Request media and follow this presentation.
