Undergraduate Social Work Students and Stress at CSUMB

Professor Jennifer LucidoCapstone Advisor: Dr. Yong Lao

SBS 400: Senior Capstone Seminar I

Prepared by: Janelle FletscherSocial and Behavioral Sciences, Sociology Concentration

California State University, Monterey BayFall 2017

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Introduction

Student stress is an issue on college campuses, however, student stress can be examined

within a certain major. For example, undergraduate social work students face many different

kinds of stress, ranging from family expectations, field practice experience, and even the specific

curriculum. They also face the stress of being students in a university setting in general. In this

context of social work undergraduate students, academic stress is defined as being “the product

of a combination of academic related demands that exceed adaptive resources available to the

individual” (Wilks, 2008, p.107). The completion of this will provide further findings on the

topic of undergraduate social work students and their stress levels. This will include the results

of a study conducted on undergraduate social work students in the social work minor at CSUMB.

The main research questions that will be examined in this capstone include:

1) What factors contribute to social work minor students being stressed

2) To what extent do they feel prepared for a Master’s of Social Work after completing

the learning outcomes of the social work minor

3) Why are stress and major/concentration a factor of potential stress for social work

minor students?

For my hypothesis, I want to find that at CSUMB, social work minor students are

stressed and that there are solutions in place to combat stress. The reality that undergraduate

social work students are stressed is demonstrated in previous studies that are referenced in the

literature review. I am interested in this topic because I am in the social work minor and will be

pursuing a MSW degree in social work. An MSW degree is a masters or graduate level social

work program that enables a social work student to be able to practice social work and pursue a

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clinical license. The social work minor is composed of extra courses which are added to an

undergraduate student’s major and concentration. These additional courses help to prepare

students in a subject of their interest that may not be offered as a bachelor’s degree at their

university. In this case, a social work minor enables students to be prepared to enter a graduate

level social work program, if they chose to do so.

Previous studies have focused on stress experienced by social work practioners as well as

stress among social work students in bachelor level programs is well documented. The bachelor

level social work degree is the closest model in comparison to a social work minor. For example,

the Council On Social Work Education (CSWE), states that of all the social work programs in

the United States, “[t]welve [2.4%] baccalaureate programs reported that a social work minor

was offered in other departments/schools at their institutions” (CSWE, 2015, p.21). Thus, a

social work minor has a limited existence on college campuses and has not been studied

extensively for this reason. By first examining student stress in general, it provides an

understanding about students in a certain program.

Literature Review

In reading literature on this topic, several themes on the subject were used to explain

undergraduate social work students and stress. The themes that were present in the literature

included the theories used to explain the difficulties students face, as well as troubles and

inconveniences faced by social work students in particular. Additional themes that were present

were stigma of college students facing stress and curriculum issues within social work programs.

The following themes from the literature list the problems and solutions for undergraduate social

work students across many different capacities and regions.

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Theory

The first theme presented in the literature are the theories that can be applied to this topic,

which are used to explain social work students and stress. For instance, the theory of stigma by

Erving Goffman is used to demonstrate disgrace in society. In addition, I will be using Conflict

theory by Karl Marx to analyze social work undergraduate students and stress on college

campuses.

According to Arjan Bos, et al., (2013), there are many different kinds of stigma that stem

from Goffman’s studies. A general definition of stigma from Bos (2013), is that it is “…not a

physical mark, but…an attribute that results in widespread social disapproval” (p.1). It is a way

to categorize individuals based on unsavory social expectations. This theory can be applied to

my topic of undergraduate social work students, in that they face stigma when it comes to stress.

CSUMB social work minor students come from different majors, and have many different

stressors from academic requirements, as well as other general life stressors. They may not wish

to seek help for stress, due to fear of being wrongly viewed by their peers. For instance, Karen

Zellmann et al (2014), states that in a previously conducted study, the results “…found that

social work students…cited embarrassment, shame, [and] concerns about being labeled…as

reasons for not seeking mental health services for themselves” (p.663).

Zellmann also discusses how social work students feel about individuals with mental

illness, such as potentially working with this population of people in the future. This affects

students’ views about their own mental health needs in a negative manner. Zellmann (2014), also

addresses how social work students feel about receiving mental health services as students and

how they would face stigma from their peers. This is due to their negative view of individuals in

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society with mental illness who receive these services. The purpose of the study conducted by

Zellmann et al., (2014), was originally to see how undergraduate social work students felt about

working with individuals with mental illness. However, it also prompted how social work

students felt about using mental health services for their own individual needs. Several previous

studies have shown that social work students both either have an interest in working in mental

health or they do not have an interest in the field. The previous studies indicated that social work

students have many reasons for not wanting to work with individuals with mental illness. Some

of the reasons were that this area of work does not pay as well and that it is difficult to help

clients with mental illness. Since students understand how individuals with mental illness are

viewed by society, Zellmann et al., (2014), states that “…the strong presence of stigma [has]…

negative effects…on students’ willingness to attend to their own mental health” (p.663).

Therefore, social work students in particular, do not utilize mental health services because they

are more aware than other students in general, of the potential stigma they may face from peers.

These students are in a unique place because they understand that they themselves are

under pressure of facing stigma by seeking services, but the “…BSW students hold stigmatizing

attitudes towards persons with mental illness” as well (Zellmann et al., 2014, p.663). Therefore,

these students face conflicting views about themselves a students and as potential social workers

in the workforce with certain attitudes towards their clients. A BSW is a bachelor’s level degree

in social work that is general needed for entry level social work related fields. A further

description is provided in the section about curriculum issues in undergraduate social work

programs.

On the other hand, Conflict theory, which is when there is a struggle between two groups

in society for particular means, is applicable to students within the social work minor. In conflict

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theory, the two societal groups view the other as an opposing force that inhibits the other from

succeeding. An example of conflict theory is from Heather Coleman et al., (2004), who describes

problems between Canadian transfer students to four-year university social work programs.

Therefore, conflict theory is applicable to the analysis of Bachelor degree level Social Work

students and their struggles with stress within the programs. Furthermore, Conflict theory can be

used to analyze the social work curriculum. There are many issues with the curriculum as a

whole in the undergraduate level. Bachelor level social work students face many hurdles when

they begin their journey within the major and are able to use these hurdles to their advantage

when they enter Graduate school.

In addition to these curriculum conflicts, George Wilson (2013), argues that in the United

Kingdom, a study was conducted on undergraduate social work students in Ireland to see how

they felt about field practicum in their program. Wilson (2013), notes that “…only around half

[of the students] … felt the course ha[d] been a good preparation for practice” (p.591).

Therefore, conflict theory is applicable here, due to students not feeling well equipped to enter

the social work profession with field practice experience. This conflicts with the students’

readiness level and the university’s ability to provide adequate preparation. Wilson (2013), also

offers suggestions for improvements in the programs that are being implemented, which are

elaborated further in the remainder of the literature review.

Therefore, based on the ideologies of Conflict and Stigma theory, this Capstone will analyze

how social work students face struggles from both a societal perspective, as well as the larger

scale struggles within the undergraduate curriculum of social work. These theories offer a micro

and macro view into the world of the stresses aimed at bachelor level social work students. These

students are in a unique place in their lives and education, which is evident from the fear of

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experiencing stigma, as well as the education hurdles of undergraduate education in a specialized

program.

In addition, a study was conducted by Zellmann et al (2014), to obtain an understanding of

how social work students perceive and view mental illness as a social issue. These opinions can

lead to students’ having bias against those with mental illness and selecting an alternate route for

their professional goals. (Zellmann et al., 2014, p.663). The researchers here expressed interest in

the students’ overall well-being since it was clear from student attitudes about mental illness, that

they would opt to not seek services for their own needs. This was mentioned previously by

Zellmann about the findings in an earlier study. An important component of the study, which

was based on student attitudes, suggested that if student perceptions of mental illness could be

better understood, it would have positive outlooks in social work academia, such as improving

student attitudes about mental illness (Zellmann et al., 2014, p.664). Based on the findings of

Zellmann’s study, it was determined that students both felt positively or negatively about mental

illness and stigma. However, the students’ attitudes varied, based on their own views if they

themselves were to receive services. For example, changing the view that individuals in society

that suffer from stigma about mental illness are viewed as successful has effect on students’

personal choices. When those with mental illness are seen as not being burdensome, but

productive, students may be more open to working with this population or receiving mental

health services themselves. This eradicates the worry of stigmatization, both for students and

individuals with mental health conditions (Zellmann et al., 2014, p.671). For students who do not

share these attitudes, they feel that they will face more stigma and have more negative attitudes

toward individuals with mental illness. Thus, students’ opinions of stigma and mental health

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influence the areas of social work they are interested in and how they feel their peers will view

them if they seek services.

In comparison, Laura Ting (2011), argues that depression among undergraduate social work

students is an issue. Therefore, these students are also hesitant to pursue mental health services to

combat depression, which is similar to Zellmann’s findings students using about mental health

services. In order to better understand these students’ reasons for not seeking these services, Ting

(2011), conducted a study in order to learn more about this topic.

It is stated by Ting (2011), that “there is limited research on the prevalence of depression in

social work students and their help-seeking beliefs” (p.253). Therefore, depression in this

particular population needs to be studied more because it is not well understood. Interestingly,

most social work students are female, and gender is one of the contributing factors of depression.

Ting (2011), also incorporates the findings of other researcher’s studies about college students

and depression. Some of these findings include students discussing how they feel and if they

would seek services for their symptoms. Since depression is a mental illness, one of the previous

studies that is mentioned by Ting suggests that stigma is a contributing factor as to why students

may not seek help. This is consistent with Zellmann’s research as well. After Ting (2011),

analyzed these other studies, it was found that in previous literature, there was “no current

research…located on baccalaureate-level social work students” (p.254) about depression.

Therefore, a study about social work undergraduate students was needed.

After Ting (2011) completed the study, which was done via surveys, it was revealed as to

why students did not utilize mental health services. For example, one of the reasons that was

discovered by Ting (2011), was the notion of stigma. This is a major concern to students because

they did not want anyone to know they had used the services and they were also concerned about

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being mislabeled by society. In addition to stigma, some social work college students expressed

concerns about seeing a mental health professional. Ting (2011), states that these students had [a]

sense of distrust for the therapeutic process” (p.260). Therefore, undergraduate social work

students are very skeptical of mental health services where depression is concerned, and do not

use the services offered. They often question the providers’ abilities to help them. Stigma can be

expanded further to the issue of stress in college students.

Stigma of College Students Facing Stress

On the subject of student stress and stigma, Donna Holland (2016), provides insight to

the sphere of college student stress. She analyzes how students feel about potential stigma if they

were to use personal counseling and mental health services provided on college campuses. The

results of the study conducted by Holland, which encompassed student attitudes towards on

campus counseling services, demonstrated which students are more likely to use these services.

The study showed that younger students do not use mental health services, while older students,

such as seniors do. In addition to this, Holland (2016), notes that “…females were more likely to

use mental health counseling than males” (p.27). This supports Ting’s (2011) argument that

gender plays factor in mental health services use and that female students are more likely to

suffer from depression. It was also noted that the younger group of college students feel more

negatively about mental health than the older students, as do Caucasian individuals. This is very

interesting considering that the majority of college students surveyed for the study were

Caucasian. Therefore, it can be concluded that gender, class standing, and race contribute to

student attitudes about these services.

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As for the overall findings from Holland (2016), it was known to researchers that

students view mental health services with a stigmatic perspective. This is also supported by

Ting’s study about social work students and depression. In addition, it was also discovered that

students behave in positive or negative ways to stress, which leads to them either utilizing

counseling or not. Holland (2016), notes that “[a]s students’ stigmatic views increased, they were

less likely to use mental health counseling” (p.33). This is due to feeling that others will view

them in the same category as someone with severe mental illness, even if students just need help

coping with stress. This fear of being labeled as deviant pushes them away from these services.

This was also discovered by Ting (2011), when analyzing social work student depression.

Holland (2016), also provides a solution to the problem of stigma with these services. Holland

(2016), describes how universities can help educate students on the measures taken to secure

student privacy when using counseling. This should increase student usage of the services

offered.

In contrast to the problems and solutions of stigma, Arjan Bos et al., (2013), discusses how

the theory of Stigma has evolved over several decades. Therefore, this encompasses the many

kinds of stigma. Bos et at., (2013), references other authors in the argument, who discuss how

public stigma is connected to a label in society. For example, the authors referenced by Bos et

al., (2013), mention that “…a relatively new label has emerged in describing people with weight-

related problems…namely, ‘“food addict” ‘(p.4). This is a modern label, referring to a modern

problem, which was not around when the theory of stigma was created by Erving Goffman. But

the point is that after fifty years, Goffman’s theory still applies to current societal issues and

labels pertaining to stigma. Thus, this theory can be applied to stigma of college students seeking

mental health services on college campuses today.

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Additionally, research in the field of stigma has expanded over the past fifty years. Bos et

al., (2013) notes that other sciences, such as the biological sciences are helping to advance

stigma. According to Bos et al., (2013) new developments, such as brain imaging show that there

is brain activity when a person is experiencing humiliating behaviors, such as as degradation via

stigma. The action of being stigmatized exhibits an internalized reflection of the disapproval,

which results in brain activity (Bos et al., 2013, p. 6). Therefore, this theory has grown to be so

useful that it is showing up in research in other fields. This is beneficial to research on the

physical human brain and social sciences in that people internalize a process that is visible in

brain imaging.

Curriculum Issues Within Social Work Programs

When it comes to social work students and the stresses that they face, the curriculum is a

large part of the problem. For instance, in social work programs in Canada and transfer

agreements for students are leading to problems. The overall issues of the social work education

continuum, such as Canada’s community college system, and outcomes faced by transfer

students are addressed by Heather Coleman et al., (2004), where these problems are analyzed

further. The problems hint at conflict theory, even though the word theory is not explicitly

mentioned by Coleman when discussing these conflicting elements.

The social work continuum is the pathway that students follow in school, in order to

prepare themselves for this profession. For example, Coleman et al, (2004), notes that in a report

by Boehm, a “…BSW degree education should prepare students for immediate employment

and…should serve as the foundation for graduate…education” (p.198). A BSW is a bachelor’s

level social work degree, which allows for social work students to earn an undergraduate degree

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in social work. After earning this degree, social work students are able to practice social work at

some levels and also pursue a Masters level degree, if they chose to do so. In this portion of the

Coleman’s article, the report by Boehm is referenced again in suggesting that students with a

Bachelor’s degree in social work have a unique situation in Graduate school. These students can

skip their first year of a Master’s program because they have already completed the necessary

material. This is known as Advanced Standing and is one unique solution, but is a difficult goal

to reach, since it is only for BSW holders. Students with a background in another subject or

major would not be able to attend the advanced standing option. Social work students often

come from various backgrounds in other disciplines, for further discussion, the next section

describes how in Canada, this is an issue for transfer students from community colleges.

In Canada, the community college system “…roles and functions of the colleges have varied

from province to province… [leading to a] …lack of national standards” (Coleman, et al., 2004,

p.197). This leads to concerns when community college students transfer to a university; they are

not prepared for the correct curriculum. It was also discussed by Coleman that in Canada, the

social work articulation is so different across the country that there are no universally set criteria

for the degree curriculum across the country. Therefore, the curriculum depends on which

province and which kind of school students attend, such as community college or a university in

order to obtain their degree. Each school has its own unique program and requirements, which is

not always a smooth transition for transfer students.

Coleman (2004), discusses the outcomes for transfer students from community colleges.

The community college to university transfer outcomes from the United States were used in

several studies to help understand this phenomenon in Canada, which was another solution for

the issue. Canada wanted to make their transfer outcomes similar to what the United States has in

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place. In the United States, it is more linear and offers a smoother transition for students.

Coleman et al., (2004), notes that “existing research…focuses on how well transfer students from

a particular institution fare after transferring to a specific university” in the United States (p.198).

However, studies in Canada found that students who began at a university as freshmen were

more successful in terms of academics than transfer students. In addition, transfer students differ

from non-transfer students in that their grades are affected by the transition from community

college to a university. The transition is difficult for students and there is a learning curve that

they must experience during this phase (Coleman, et al., 2004, p.199). Transfer students have the

ability to attend college for long periods of time while fulfilling other obligations, but they have

difficulty adjusting to the university level of education.

Another example of curriculum issues is that in the United Kingdom, it has become

apparent that undergraduate level social work students feel that they are not as prepared as they

should be in certain areas. Therefore, a study was conducted to see how students in Ireland

compare to social work student preparation in England. The purpose of the study was to raise

awareness of this issue and what needs to be done to correct it.

An important aspect was noted by Wilson (2013), stating that European undergraduate

social work programs are undergoing a modification of the curriculum requirements to

appropriately match the current trends of European society that meets the needs of the most at

risk populations. (Wilson, 2013, p.590). Since the programs are being redesigned, it is the result

of English universities being made aware that their students who have graduated from their

bachelor level programs were not equipped to handle the scenarios that occur in English social

work employment settings. This is largely due to a “wake of a succession of child care deaths” in

England (Wilson, 2013, p.591). In order to assess which areas that social work students were not

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well trained in, a study was conducted to see what students’ interpretations of their preparation

and readiness were. The study was intended to assess the areas of the curriculum that are not

adequate and then to implement positive changes in the curriculum.

The findings of the study were based in Ireland from social work students there because

they face similar issues as the English in the workforce when it comes to the deaths of children.

In addition, Ireland’s updated curriculum programs have been successful, thus demonstrating

how these students have fared after Ireland upgraded their program, which could benefit students

in England (Wilson, 2013, p.592). The researchers were interested in how these students felt

about their field practice opportunities and if they felt that it had positively impacted their

workforce preparation. For instance, Wilson (2013), noted that prior to the updated curriculum,

students felt that the program lacked in adequate training for their internships, which was critical

to student training (Wilson, 2013, p.597). Based on the findings, the students in Ireland did not

feel that they were trained properly for their field practice locations while in the program. This

translates to students not feeling like they can do work similar to their practice later on in the

social work profession.

However, the study in Ireland focused on the different kinds of programs in Ireland for

social work. There are both a two-year and a three-year undergraduate degree option offered for

students in Ireland. Consequently, Wilson (2013), noted that in their field practice, “students who

had undertaken the two-year route…felt they had been disadvantaged…by the shorter…training”

(p.601). In the program in Ireland, prior to the curriculum changes, students were not trained in

social work settings for child care. The United Kingdom was looking to improve this in Ireland

and made changes to the program. After this model worked well in Ireland, England wanted to

make similar changes to improve student satisfaction from their undergraduate programs.

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In contrast to curriculum issues, Maria Napoli and Robin Bonifas (2011), deliberate how

social work classes are teaching students to be aware of their own reactions to stress as a

solution. This awareness allows for these students to learn how to better manage themselves, as

well as how to relate to clients later on. Napoli and Bonifas (2011) discuss elements of a mindful

classroom, a study conducted on the topic, and the results of the study on student mindfulness.

Mindfulness in this scenario has many benefits for students; both in their educational and

professional lives. According to Napoli and Bonifas (2011), by utilizing this technique, social

work students are better able to relate to the client at that specific moment, which allows for

them to gain a client’s perspective (Napoli & Bonifas, 2011, p.636). However, this training starts

in the social work program for students. Napoli and Bonifas (2011), stress that it is important for

professors to make their students comfortable so they can properly engage in mindfulness. For

example, it is crucial that students feel that they can openly express themselves in classrooms

without fear of stigma for feeling overwhelmed (Napoli and Bonifas, 2011, p. 638). In doing so,

students then learn the techniques of mindfulness in this safe space without judgment.

Additionally, a study was conducted on students who participated in the Quality of Life

Curriculum, which is a “16-week graduate course that facilitates students’ exploration of self-

care and…witness their own experience” (Napoli and Bonifas, 2011, p.640). This study

consisted of surveying students who participated in this course. The questionnaires were given

to students after they took the course to see if they felt that they had more awareness afterwards.

This curriculum incorporates an in-person class once a week, as well as students using course

materials to “…engage in a one-hour mindfulness practice twice a week” (Napoli and Bonifas,

2011, p. 640). Therefore, the study would determine if the curriculum, such as class meetings

and exercises were helpful. Napoli and Bonifas’ findings are discussed in further detail.

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The results of their study were analyzed and indicated that the curriculum is successful

because the researchers found a “…statistically significant improvement in three of the four

components of mindfulness” (Napoli and Bonifas, 2011, p.645). Based on the findings, students

appear to be more aware and engaged in their emotional responses of mindfulness. Therefore,

this curriculum is helpful to social work students. However, it is noted that in-class curriculum is

not as helpful as real life training. Thus, the course material itself needs to be supplemented with

the in-class activities and setting in order to provide the most benefits.

On the other hand, Louise Grant (2014), wanted to see if the effects of empathy training on

social work undergraduates helped prepare them for the workforce. Grant (2014), notes that the

programs these students attend need to have more professors integrating empathy in their

classrooms because the more empathy students are taught, the more effective they are in the

field. Grant (2014), provides a definition of empathy from a social work standpoint. This

component is what makes Social Workers so effective. According to Grant (2014), “…a

practitioner is required to imagine that they are experiencing the world of the client as if they

were that person” (p.341). Empathy can also work in two ways; it is either beneficial to a

problem, or it is not. In addition to living through the eyes of the client, social workers are also

able to be self reflective of themselves. By doing this, they can be in control of their emotions in

many situations, but also be able to provide empathic concerns towards a client.

Moreover, a study by Grant was conducted to see how empathy affects social work

students themselves. Grant (2014), states that empathetic training and development enables

social work students to be able to roll with the punches of emotional situations when they enter

the workforce. (Grants, 2014, p.342). This means that by developing empathy, these students can

help themselves not become drained from their emotions or a client’s emotions. This is Grant’s

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solution to helping students learn how to be prepared emotionally for their careers. Grant’s study

was conducted in England via an online survey. The study revealed that individuals who were

able to succeed at mindfulness training were better able to be in control of their emotions and not

become emotionally exhausted (Grant, 2014, p.343). This means that these particular students

are able to preserve their own energy and they do not become exhausted by the emotional setting

their work. Therefore, empathy is a very important aspect of Social Work training.

Alternatively, Catherine A. Hawkins et al. (2005), argues that student employment is a

major contributor to stress. Hawkins’ stance on student stress is that student employment has an

effect on grade point average, which affects student academics. In Hawkins’ study it is stated

that the students that took part in this particular study, were from different universities that had

similar programs, but differences in the students’ class to work ratio (Hawkins, 2005, p.14). The

students were given surveys and they were also tested again one month later. The researchers

wanted to see if there was a difference between the students at the two universities when it came

to their work hours and school course loads. After distributing the surveys, it was noted that

“...BSW students from Texas State were enrolled in more course hours…than UT BSW

students” (Hawkins, et al., 2005, p.15). Thus, the amount of credits students take per semester

could be contributing to their stress. The students’ gender also taken into consideration.

The demographic information suggests that gender is a contributing factor in this study,

which has been argued by other researchers when analyzing social work student stress and

depression. According to Hawkins et al., (2005), “[m]ales reported that they worked more hours

per week…than females…, [and] had a lower overall GPA” (p.18). Other factors that affected

how many credits students took was their marital status. This affected their GPA and some

students indicated that their families distracted them from school work, as well. In Ting’s 2011

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study on social work students and depression, gender was also a significant factor. Students’

class standing also affected GPA. For instance, “[u]pper class students [such as seniors] …

reported significantly higher overall GPAs, were enrolled in more credit hours…and worked

more hours” (Hawkins, 2005, p.19). Therefore, there are many factors contributing to

undergraduate student’s GPA, including their jobs.

Interestingly, the findings of the study indicated that the cause of student stress at these

two universities was not what the researchers believed it to be. Hawkins (2005), notes that the

findings indicated that most college students work and attend university simultaneously

(Hawkins, 2005, p.22). In this group of students, the majority of them were employed at the

same as being enrolled in college courses. Overall, less than fifty percent of the students had said

that their work interfered with their school, and “[a] few students commented that the BSW

curriculum or internship ‘“interfered”’ with their responsibilities to work or family” (Hawkins,

2005, p.23). This was an interesting outcome of the study, that the curriculum, not work was the

issue of interference. Social work curriculum at these two universities seem to be a direct cause

of student stress because of the high demand.

Social Work Student Stress

In opposition of Hawkins’ (2005), study, which suggested that student employment was

the cause of stress in social work students, Liora Birnbaum (2008), offers a solution to treat

stress. Birnbaum (2008), focuses on the use of mindful meditation that is being used in Social

Work curriculum for students. Birnbaum (2008), mentions how these programs are attempting to

incorporate more of this training into their programs. Due to the lack of this kind of training in

current programs, a study was conducted to examine the effects of mindfulness training on

students.

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Mindful mediation is a form of meditation that is now being used in social work

programs. Birnbaum (2008), notes that there are “…two basic types: concentrative meditation

and mindful meditation” (p.838). In this case, the article focuses on mindful meditation, which

emphasizes emotional awareness. It is used as a coping mechanism to learn how to accept the

present for being what it is now. Due to the mindset of framing one’s perspective as it is what it

is, this technique “…is used effectively in psychological stress reduction” (Birnbaum, 2008,

p.839). Due to its purpose, this training should be effective in releasing social work student

stress.

Furthermore, since this is a newer technique to the field of social work, a study was

conducted to gauge the effectiveness of the training on social work students. This study included

participants who were bachelor level social work students, who met with other students who

were interested in trying this technique (Birnbaum, 2008, p.839). This study was used as a trial

run to see how a group for meditation would help these students. This group allowed for students

from any major to participate. In addition to meditation, additional methods such as “…written

process notes…[from]…the sharing process and stream-of-consciousness writing” were taken

into account. (Birnbaum, 2008, p.840). After this, the data was analyzed by the researchers.

The findings of the study demonstrated that students had a general interest in this

technique and they wanted to try it on their campus. As students of the social work profession,

these students were interested in methods in which they could self reflect about their own

personal reactions (Birnbaum, 2008, p.841). This is consistent with self reflection, which is

essential in social work training. Students in the study said that they wanted learn how to use this

technique because they were stressed about their curriculum and internships in the program.

Interestingly, the findings showed that “...practicing [mindful meditation] …together with

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colleagues of their own contributed to the accelerated sensation of safety” (Birnbaum, 2008,

p.842). Therefore, the mindful meditation was helpful for social work students, especially in a

group setting with their peers.

In comparison to the solution provided by Birnbaum (2008), Stanley Selwyn and Mattilda

Bhuvaneswari (2016), wanted to see how stress in Social Work students is measured. The study

was conducted in India to see if female students’ stress levels were higher or lower at certain

times in the program. In this study, the respondents were all females from India, in an all female

program. According to Selwyn and Bhuvaneswari (2016), the analysis of the findings showed

that “stress and anxiety levels are high in newly admitted students…and highest in 3rd-year

students, but lower in students in their 2nd year” (p.83). Studying these students in India is

different than observing Western students because they are stressed about different issues, such

as different program requirements and cultural expectations. Social work students in India begin

the program when they are younger than students in other countries, such as the United States.

In addition, one of the problems noted by Selwyn and Bhuvaneswari (2016), is these students

encounter mentors and superiors that are not well qualified or proficient in their field, during

their field practice (Selwyn & Bhuvaneswari, 2016, p.79). These students do not have

individuals with high levels of experience as their mentors when they complete their field

practice. This causes stress to the students because they do not receive adequate training from

their supervisors.

Interestingly, social work undergraduate programs in India are longer than the ones in

America. The study revealed “…that both 1st-and 3rd-year social work undergraduate students

need extra measures to deal with the anxiety and stress that they experience” (Selwyn &

Bhuvaneswari, 2016, p.86). This correlates with Wilson’s 2013 study of social work programs in

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Ireland, which offer both a shorter and longer academic track option. Other countries, with the

exception of Canada, maybe offer different length programs. This may either benefit social work

students or may be detrimental to their success. It was also discovered that in India, social work

is not a highly valued profession. It is not seen as a good way to make money, especially for

female students. In addition to the programs being difficult and the families not being supportive

of the career choice, these students have a very difficult time completing their degree. Culturally,

female students “…are under pressure from their families to get married on course completion”

(Selwyn & Bhuvaneswari, 2016, p.88). It was also discussed that tutors in India are used as both

academic tutors, and personal counselors for students, which is very taxing.

In comparison to the problems presented by Selwyn & Bhuvaneswari (2016), Stewart Collins

et al., (2010), provides a discussion of other contributing factors for stress in social work

students. A study was conducted in the United Kingdom to assess stress in social work students.

Collins (2016), mentioned that not much research on student stress has been completed, but

research on social workers in the field has. The students of this study were both Bachelor and

Master’s level students. It was noted by Collins et al., that the majority were single, but some

participants, but had other family obligations, such as providing help to family member. (Collins,

et al., 2010, p.966). Another factor of these particular students is that many of them were

currently working at the time of the study. Most of the students also were previously employed

or devoted their spare time in environments similar to social work (Collins, 2010, p.966).

Therefore, these students come from a wide variety of backgrounds and were also experienced in

their fields from either working or volunteering.

As for another example of a study in this topic, these particular findings were compared to

previous studies conducted in the United States and Canada. All of these programs used in the

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comparison suggest that undergraduate social work programs have high expectations and”

[d]emands to be successful… [by means of] attend[ing] the course[s]…and academic essays

[which] were scored the highest” (Collins, 2010, p.972). These are academic components that

students could be stressed about. Students’ jobs and family lives were also taken into

consideration to see if there were differences among stress and gender. This did not appear to

have an effect on the students in this study. However, a contributing factor to student stress in

this sample was if students had social work volunteer experience versus those who did not have

experience. According to Collins (2010),” [t]hose with no previous experience of voluntary

social work reported poorer well-being” (p.971). Therefore, it can be concluded that social work

students find their field practice to be the most stressful element of the program. The findings of

this study demonstrate that social work students who have previous experience in the field are

less stressed because they have more preparation prior to entering a program. Therefore, a

solution provided by Collins (2016), is that students in this major need to have volunteer

experience, prior to entering a Graduate program. The undergraduate field experience will reduce

student stress by enabling students to be and feel more prepared for social work field practice at

the Graduate level, should they choose to advance their degrees.

Another solution to student stress is social support for college students. In particular,

Scott E. Wilks (2008), discusses a study on social work students to assess the impact of support

about stress. Academic stress and support are related to students being able to cope with stress.

Wilks focuses on previous studies of social work students and how they were affected. This

includes a literature review, which indicates that social work academia is understood to be more

stressful to students than their employment in the field later on. For example, Wilks (2008),

states that “[s]ocial work students are vulnerable to high levels of psychological distress”

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(p.107). These were the findings from previous literature on the topic. Thus, this explains the

importance of social support. Social support is the component that students have in order to use

as resources for stress. In the case of social work students, Wilks (2008), notes that “…social

support is faculty” (p.109). This is the most common form of social support for students; without

faculty there to support them, students suffer from more academic stress.

In addition, a more recent study was conducted to see how these social supports function

for social work students. The methods used in the study were “…self-report[ed] questionnaires

distributed to BSW and MSW students” (Wilks, 2008, p.111). The researchers used a multitude

of scales to measure their findings. Some of the scales utilized were the Academic stress scale,

Perceived Social Support Scale, and a Resilience Scale. These analyzed components were then

described in the results.

The results showed that social work students felt stressed, but that they “…reported a fair

amount of social support for both support systems—familial and friend” (Wilks, 2008, p.117). It

was also found that friend support has the ability to alter student stress levels because it is a

general life component and friendships can be stressful. Therefore, because issues among these

groups, such as friends or students’ work, could make them more stressed. This happens even

though friends are a form of support for students. Even though friends pose a potential problem,

friends and family are a helpful support tool for students.

Furthermore, Sophia F. Dziegielewski et al., (2004), like Collins et al., (2010) addressed

how there have not been many studies about social work students and stress, but there have been

on social work professionals. Dziegieleski also offers a solution for combating stress within the

social work major. These student respondents were put into two groups and attended a seminar

about managing stress. Additional questionnaires were given to students in order “…to measure

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the effectiveness of the seminar’s content in reducing stress levels” (Dziegielewski et al., 2004,

p.111). After the surveys and seminars were completed, the results of the findings were analyzed.

The findings indicated these techniques, such as attending a seminar are helpful to

students. In addition, the seminar utilized ways to reduce stress, such as “…deep breathing and

guided imagery” (Dziegielewski et al., 2004, p.115). However, it was mentioned that the study

would have been even more helpful if the seminars were longer. The benefits of the seminar

were that students were better able to recognize symptoms of stress so they could take action to

reduce stress. The study also emphasizes that these techniques are useful in the social work

profession because social work itself can be a stressful career.

Other forms of stress for undergraduate social work students are that their idealisms of the

profession are correlated to emotional exhaustion, among other components. A study was

conducted at a university in Hong Kong to see how undergraduate students are affected in this

manner. It was discussed that individuals that work in a profession such as social work, face

burnout and exhaustion. According to Steven Sek-yum (2009), burnout and exhaustion is

common in professions, such as nursing and social work, and is described as “a reaction to

chronic occupational stress…from… caregivers and their service users” (p.107). Therefore, this

phenomenon needs to be studied in order to provide resources for students so they do not face

these issues prior to entering the workforce. In addition, this will help students to learn how to

manage workplace stress later on. As for a solution for dealing with this problem, burnout is

already acknowledged as a problem for social work students. Sek-Yum (2009), states that “[a]

recent trend in research on burnout has been an increased focus on…students who enter helping

professions,” since they appear to exhibit this early in their careers (p.105). Therefore, not only is

burnout prevalent among the professionals in these occupations, but also the students who will

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enter the workforce. For example, when it comes to social work students, they face becoming

worn out and exhausted during their internships because they are new to the environmental

prospects of the field (Sek-Yum, 2009, p.106). This is often due to students not having

experience in the field of social work or seeing what the occupation is like, until they observe a

supervisor in field practice in action. This supports Collins (2016), argument that social work

students who do not have volunteer or internship experience more stress.

Moreover, the results of the study indicated that it is necessary to take action to help social

work students. Sek-Yum (2009), states that as an additional solution “to prevent emotional

exhaustion among students [is that] …faculties should concentrate on helping students develop a

positive attitude” when it comes to this career selection (p.116). In changing their students’

attitudes, the faculty help students see the benefits of their career and why it was the right choice

for them. In addition, another solution in combating student exhaustion is to aim “…future

research…to the specific services setting in which students undertake field practicum” (Sek-

Yum, 2009, p.117). In doing so, educators would be able to pinpoint the causes of student

exhaustion in field practice settings and help to better prepare their students for the social work

profession.

As for an additional solution, Tina Maschi (2013), describes the techniques that are used

by social work research instructors to help their students overcome anxiety related to these kinds

of courses. Anxiety is another contributing factor to student stress, such as exhaustion and

burnout, which were discussed by Sek-Yum’s 2009 study. Maschi (2013), conducted a study to

see how these instructors reduce student stress and what their interpretations are of what areas

students have the most anxiety about.

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First of all, undergraduate level social work students appear to face anxiety about

research courses, therefore, anxiety in this setting must be defined. According to Maschi et al.

(2013), anxiety is best described as “a specific unpleasant emotional state… elements of fear…

worry, escape/avoidance behavior and physiological symptoms” (p.801). This is how social work

instructors perceive their students’ feelings about research to be. Since the professors are aware

of the issue, they have already begun to taken action towards their students’ anxieties because

they realize that they need to treat the problem. Thus, as Sek-Yum (2009), expressed that it is

important that the educators are aware of the issues facing their students; they are providing the

best education possible for social work students. If student anxiety were to go unresolved, social

work students would continue to have negative feelings and perceptions of their research

courses, as well as their major. This also agrees with Sek-Yum (2009), who argued that burnout

among undergraduate social work students instills the same view of their major. However,

Maschi (2013), reasons that social work professors use different methods to relieve student

anxiety. In doing so, these students are then becoming prepared to handle the stresses of the

professional world that they will enter later.

Also, based on the attempts of the instructors, Maschi (2013), claims that student anxiety

changes over the course of the semester. The study in which the social work professors

participated, indicated that “perceived students’ research anxiety at the beginning of the course

was greatly reduced by the end of the course” (Maschi et al., 2013, p.811). Therefore, these

professors are aware of social work student anxiety as an issue and they use methods that are

effective in reducing it. These professors have developed classroom methods for creating a

comfortable environment for students and offer these techniques as solutions to student anxiety

within the major. Some of the techniques used by professors include “…fun activities, self-

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assessments, and openly discussing fear and anxiety” (Maschi et al., 2013, p.810). These

techniques demonstrate professor attempts to make social work students unafraid of potential

barriers in obtaining their degrees.

Conclusion

The literature on the topic of undergraduate social work students and stress demonstrates

that is particular group of students are stressed. These students face many different types of

stress, ranging from academic stress, stress related to internship experience, or lack thereof,

family expectations, and finally, curriculum issues. This is also evident in the findings of studies

conducted in the United States, Canada, India, and the United Kingdom. Thus, by the

comparison of social work students across the globe facing stress, it is apparent that this group of

students is under stress. However, even though these students are enduring many forms of stress,

there are approaches in place to help combat this issue. Based on the previous studies, it is

known now that undergraduate social work student stress is occurring and needs to be addressed.

Due to the awareness of this issue, many programs are taking action in providing stress reduction

services for their students.

An additional method that is suggested for future research on this topic is to obtain

information about social work students and stress based on their field practice locations. In

focusing on this component, social work program faculty can limit where students complete

internships so that they are not placed in overly stressful environments. This approach will allow

for students to not be overwhelmed by a potential lack of previous internship or volunteer

experience, or their inaccurate views of the profession. If students enter the major with a

misguided expectation and then see the reality that they are not prepared for, it leads to student

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stress before they enter the workforce. This leads them on a path of exhaustion and occupation

related stress and fatigue when they graduate and work in a social work environment. Therefore,

the solutions to the many problems faced by undergraduate social work students will help them

realize their potential and see the purposefulness of their desired profession in a positive way.

Methodology

For my methodology, I will focus on a qualitative approach, including surveys,

interviews, and secondary sources. My primary data will be collected from surveying

undergraduate social work minor students at CSUMB. I will contact some of the social work

professors at CSUMB and distributing both online and hard copies of my survey to some of the

classes offered on campus. I will include Likert Scale questions, a few close-ended questions,

and a few open-ended questions.

Excel is used to code data and to use descriptive statistics to help create graphs. In

addition to the surveys, I will interview and observe three Clinical Social Workers to see what

they do in their everyday work environment. This will provide background information to see

what the CSUMB social work students could potentially become once they enter the work force.

I will be asking the clinical social workers about how their education prepared them for their

work and what their thoughts on their Undergraduate programs were. I found that many of them

have backgrounds in Psychology and felt that their internships were stressful. Another social

worker indicted that her undergraduate degree was actually more stressful than her Graduate

degree. They have also provided insight on what other factors contributed to their stress as

undergraduates.

And finally, I will use the CSUMB online database for literature related to my topic. So

far, I have found articles that describe the different curriculum requirements and what bachelor

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level social work students find stressful, in addition to literature about Social Work programs in

Canada and how that has an impact on students. A pattern I have noticed in literature is that

Conflict Theory and Stigma seem to be common themes in article about Undergraduate social

work programs.

Once I have collected my data, I will be analyzing how stressed CSUMB Undergraduate

social work students are and what they are stressed about. I will be creating statistics, using

Excel and coding the surveys, I will also be using Nvivo for coding data from the interviews and

observations, since Nvivo stores and helps to categorize qualitative data. This qualitative data

will be used as background information about professional social workers.

Anticipated Results

After conducting the survey and analyzing my results, I am hoping to find that social

work minor students are facing some sort of stress. This stress could be due to adding the social

work minor course to their major, or their internships, if applicable, or even the course content.

Students may not even be stressed about the social work minor at all; they could be stressed

about some unrelated aspect or potentially that they have not found a way to cope with the stress

of being a college student. There are many things that students in the social work minor at

CSUMB could be stressed about. I would like to see if the research supports the current literature

by indicating that social work students are stressed about social work related items.

Bibliography

Birnbaum, L. (2008). The Use of Mindfulness Training to Create an 'Accompanying Place' for Social Work Students. Social Work Education, 27(8), 837-852. (15). doi:10.1080/02615470701538330

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Bos, A. R., Pryor, J. B., Reeder, G. D., & Stutterheim, S. E. (2013). Stigma: Advances in Theory and Research. Basic & Applied Social Psychology, 35(1), 1-9. (9). doi:10.1080/01973533.2012.746147

Coleman, H., Calhoun, A., & Rogers, G. (2004). Articulation agreements between social work diploma and degree programs in english Canada. Canadian Social Work Review / Revue Canadienne De Service Social, 21(2), 189-208. (19). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/41669811

Collins, S., Coffey, M., & Morris, L. (2010). Social Work Students: Stress, Support and Well-Being. The British Journal of Social Work, 40(3), 963-982. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/43687492

Council On Social Work Education. (2015). Annual statistics on social work education in the united states. Retrieved October 30, 2017, from https://www.cswe.org/CMSPages/GetFile.aspx?guid=992f629c-57cf-4a74-8201-1db7a6fa4667

Dziegielewski, S., Turnage, B., & Roest-Marti, S. (2004). Addressing stress with social work students: A controlled evaluation. Journal of Social Work Education, 40(1), 105-119. (14). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23043982 http://www.jstor.org/stable/23043982?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=ADDRESSING&searchText=STRESS&searchText=WITH&searchText=SOCIAL&searchText=WORK&searchText=STUDENTS:&searchText=A&searchText=CONTROLLED&searchText=EVALUATION&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DADDRESSING%2BSTRESS%2BWITH%2BSOCIAL%2BWORK%2BSTUDENTS%253A%2BA%2BCONTROLLED%2BEVALUATION%26amp%3Bfilter%3D&refreqid=search%3A4408e6cffd35235b36e2699795b0c88c&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

Grant, L. (2014). Hearts and Minds: Aspects of Empathy and Wellbeing in Social Work Students. Social Work Education, 33(3), 338-352. (14).http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=9e25fbf1-11f2-4261-9904-b4a505ccd95c%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=94451533&db=aph

Hawkins, C., Smith, M., Hawkins, R., & Grant, D. (2005). The relationships among hours employed, perceived work interference, and grades reported as reported by undergraduate social work students. Journal of Social Work Education, 41(1), 13-27. (14). Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23044030

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Holland, D. (2016). College student stress and mental health: Examination of stigmatic views on mental health counseling. Michigan Sociological Association,30, 16-43. (27). Retrieved May 4, 2017, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/43940346?Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=social&searchText=stigma&searchText=university&searchText=students&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoAdvancedSearch%3Fq0%3Dsocial%2Bstigma%26amp%3Bed%3D%26amp%3Bf2%3Dall%26amp%3Bq1%3Duniversity%2Bstudents%26amp%3Bc3%3DAND%26amp%3Bq3%3D%26amp%3Bf3%3Dall%26amp%3Bq5%3D%26amp%3 Bc5%3DAND%26amp%3Bc2%3DAND%26amp%3Bsd%3D%26amp %3Bdc.sociology-

Maschi, T., Wells, M., Yoder Slater, G., MacMillan, T., & Ristow, J. (2013). Social Work Students' Research-Related Anxiety and Self-Efficacy: Research Instructors' Perceptions and Teaching Innovations. Social Work Education, 32(6), 800-817. doi:10.1080/02615479.2012.695343

Napoli, M., & Bonifas, R. (2011). From Theory Toward Empathic Self-Care: Creating a Mindful Classroom for Social Work Students. Social Work Education, 30(6), 635-649. (14). doi:10.1080/02615479.2011.586560

Selwyn, S., & Mettilda Bhuvaneswari, G. (2016). Stress, Anxiety, Resilience and Coping in Social Work Students (A Study from India). Social Work Education, 35(1), 78-88. (10). doi:10.1080/02615479.2015.1118451

Sek-Yum, N., & Chau-kiu, C. (2009). Idealism, altruism, career orientations, and emotional exhaustion among social work undergraduates. Journal of Social Work Education, 45(1), 105-121. (16). http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=9&sid=2ba43762-befd-4d47-8c86-87c78e69bc72%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=36617412&db=aph

Ting, L. (2011). Depressive symptoms in a sample of social work students from using mental health services: An exploratory study. Journal of Social Work Education, 47(2), 253-268. http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=16&sid=6ba329ec-41f1-4284-83e8-155f58a1c657%40sessionmgr4007&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=62990929&db=aph

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Wilks, S. E. (2008). Resilience amid academic stress: The moderating impact of social work support among social work students. 106-125. (19). Retrieved September 26, 2017, from http://advancesinsocialwork.iupui.edu/index.php/advancesinsocialwork/article/view/51

Wilson, G. (2013). Preparing Social Workers for Practice: Re-evaluating Student Learning Needs. Social Work Education, 32(5), 590-606. doi:10.1080/02615479.2012.702206

Zellmann, K. T., Madden, E. E., & Aguiniga, D. M. (2014). Bachelor of Social Work Students and Mental Health Stigma: Understanding Student Attitudes. Journal of Social Work Education, 50(4), 660-677. doi:10.1080/10437797.2014.947900

Timeline: add everything for spring 2018 for methods (when distributing survey) can distribute once proposal approved & also do it next semester—week 8-9 spring

I. The capstone proposal will be completed by November 11, 2017II. The Human Subjects Research Application is not applicable to the capstone project

topicIII. Start date of research: Fall 2017 (creation of proposal/topic) Spring 2018 (will collect

data)

A. September 7, 20171) Met with capstone advisor to discuss topic2) Discussed methods to collect data and how to analyze data

B. September 14, 20171) Met with capstone advisor to discuss topic and potential roadblocks

C. September 25, 2017

1) Submitted list of theory sources to SBS 400

D. October 9, 20171) Submitted literature review sources to SBS 400

E. October 16, 20171) Met with capstone advisor to revise potential survey questions2) Received approval of capstone topic

F. October 30, 20171) Submitted list of additional sources for literature review for theory section and

other sections

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G. November 11, 20171) Submitted first draft of capstone proposal in SBS 400

H. December 2, 20171) Created Google Forms Capstone survey (waiting to distribute in Spring 2018)

IV. End dates of research:V. Date for write up:VI. Date for Capstone Presentation:

Human Subjects Form: Not applicable to this research topic

Capstone Annotations:

The Use of Mindfulness Annotation

Birnbaum, L. (2008). The Use of Mindfulness Training to Create an 'Accompanying Place' for

Social Work Students. Social Work Education, 27(8), 837-852. (15).

doi:10.1080/02615470701538330 http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?

vid=3&sid=3a819a67-e4a6-48db-bc8a-26f96f7f789d

%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=35034851&db=aph

The topic of the reading is the use of mindful meditation being used in Social Work

curriculum for students. The article mentions how these programs are attempting to incorporate

more of this training into their programs. Due to the lack of this kind of training in current

programs, a study was conducted to examine the effects of mindfulness training on students.

Main points of the reading are mindful meditation, the study design, and the results of the study.

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Mindful mediation is a form of meditation that is now being used in social work

programs. Birnbaum (2008), notes that there are “…two basis types: concentrative meditation

and mindful meditation” (p.838). In this case, the article focuses on mindful meditation, which

emphasizes emotional awareness. It is used as a coping mechanism to learn how to accept the

present for being the present time. Due to the mindset of framing one’s perspective as it is what

it is, this technique “…is used effectively in psychological stress reduction” (Birnbaum, 2008,

p.839). Due to its purpose, this training should be effective in releasing social work student

stress.

Secondly, since this is a newer technique to the field of social work, a study was

conducted to gauge the effectiveness of the training on social work students. This study included

participants who were bachelor level social work students, who took part in “[a] meditation

group” (Birnbaum, 2008, p.839). This study was used as a trial run to see how a group for

meditation would help these students. This group allowed for any students to participate. In

addition to meditation, additional methods such as “…written process notes…[from]…the

sharing process and stream-of-consciousness writing” were taken into account. (Birnbaum, 2008,

p.840). After this, the data was analyzed by the researchers.

The findings of the study demonstrated that students had a general interest in this

technique and they wanted to try it on campus. As students of the social work profession, these

students “…wanted to experience a technique that would allow for them to simply observe

themselves internally” (Birnbaum, 2008, p.841). Students in the study said that they wanted learn

how to use this technique because they were stressed about their curriculum and internships in

the program. Interestingly, the findings showed that “...practicing [mindful meditation] …

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together with colleagues of their own contributed to the accelerated sensation if safety”

(Birnbaum, 2008, p.842). Therefore, the mindful meditation was helpful for social work students.

After reading this article, I was surprised to hear that this technique worked for stress

reduction in social work students. I had never heard of this being used prior to reading the article.

I think that more social work programs should incorporate this training into their programs.

Overall, I found this reading to be easy to read and the discussion of the study results to be easy

to comprehend.

Stigma: Advances in Research Annotation

Bos, A. R., Pryor, J. B., Reeder, G. D., & Stutterheim, S. E. (2013). Stigma: Advances in Theory

and Research. Basic & Applied Social Psychology, 35(1), 1-9. (9).

doi:10.1080/01973533.2012.746147 http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/resultsadvanced?

vid=2&sid=ac7bfa17-1101-4899-a361-9ee1b20a95a3%40sessionmgr120&bquery=.+Stigma

%3a+Advances+%22in

%22+Theory+AND+Research&bdata=JmRiPWFwaCZ0eXBlPTEmc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZl

The topic of this reading is Erving Goffman’s notion of stigma, which was created fifty years

ago. The reading also addresses the many kinds of stigma, current studies, and how the field is

expanding. Main points of this article include the current research of stigma and the new

developments of the field.

The first main point addresses how social scientists have looked at stigma in the past fifty

years since Goffman created the theory. This encompasses the many kinds of stigma. Bos et at.,

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(2013), references other authors, who discuss how public stigma is connected to a label in

society. For example, the authors of this work referenced by Bos et al., (2013), mention that “…a

relatively new label has emerged in describing people with weight-related problems…namely,

‘“food addict” ‘(p.4). This is a modern label, referring to a modern problem, which was not

around when Goffman created his theory. But the point is that after fifty years, Goffman’s theory

still applies to current societal issues and labels pertaining to stigma.

Second, research itself in the field of stigma has expanded over the past fifty years. Bos et

al., (2013) notes that other sciences, such as the biological sciences are helping to advance

stigma. According to Bos et al., (2013) “…social neuroscience of stigma has…demonstrated…

how certain areas of the brain are involved in the process of stigmatization” (p.6). Therefore, this

theory has grown to be so useful that it is showing up in research in other fields. This is

beneficial to research on the physical human brain and social science in that people internalize a

process that is visible in brain imaging. In addition to being compatible with biological science,

stigma is also relevant in societal issues. For example, Bos et at (2013), indicates that stigma is

helpful with at risk populations, such as the poor. Using stigma in this manner will help those in

positions to help these populations make their situations easier to fix. The perspective of stigma

will enable those in power positions to be in the shoes of the groups they are helping in order to

achieve the best results.

After reading this article, I was surprised to learn about how many different kinds of

stigma that there are. I also enjoyed learning at the beginning of the reading what Goffman

contributed to stigma, as well as what present studies on stigma are finding. I also found the

future of this topic to be interesting, I never thought that studies of the brain would help to

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enhance the understanding of stigma. I found this article to be easy to read and easy to

comprehend.

Articulation Agreements Between Social Work Diploma and Degree Requirements in English

Canada Annotation

Coleman, H., Calhoun, A., & Rogers, G. (2004). Articulation agreements between social work

diploma and degree programs in english Canada. Canadian Social Work Review / Revue

Canadienne De Service Social, 21(2), 189-208. (19). Retrieved from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/41669811

The topic of this reading is Social Work programs in Canada and how transfer agreements

for students are leading to problems. Main points of this reading include the overall issues of the

Social Work education continuum, Canada’s community college system, and outcomes faced by

transfer students.

First, the Social Work continuum is the pathway that students follow in school, in order to

prepare themselves for this profession. For example, Coleman, Calhoun, and Rogers (2004), note

that in a report by Boehm, a “…BSW degree education should prepare students for immediate

employment and…should serve as the foundation for graduate…education” (p.198). In this

portion of the article, the report by Boehm is referenced again in suggesting that students with a

Bachelor’s degree in Social Work have a unique situation in Graduate school. These students can

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skip their first year of a Master’s program because they have already completed the necessary

material. However, in Canada, this is an issue for transfer students from community colleges.

In Canada, the community college system “…roles and functions of the colleges have varied

from province to province… [leading to a] …lack of national standards” (Coleman, et al., 2004,

p.197). This leads to problems when community college students transfer to a university; they

are not prepared for the correct curriculum. It was also discussed that in Canada, the Social Work

articulation is so different across the country that there are no set criteria for the degree

curriculum. Therefore, curriculum depends on which province and which kind of school students

attend, in order to obtain their degree.

The final main point of the reading is the outcomes for transfer students from community

colleges. The community college to university transfer outcomes from the United States were

used in several studies to help understand this phenomenon in Canada. Coleman et al., (2004),

notes that “existing research…focuses on how well transfer students from a particular institution

fare after transferring to a specific university” (p.198). Studies in Canada found that students

who begin at a university as freshmen are more successful in terms of academics than a transfer

student. In addition, “[s]tudies …from the 1970s and 1980s in British Columbia show that

transfer students attained lower GPAs and had more failures” (Coleman, et al., 2004, p.199).

Transfer students have the ability to attend college for long periods of time, but they have

difficulty adjusting to the university level.

After completing this reading, I was impressed to read an article expressing concern over

articulation agreements between community colleges and universities. I enjoyed learning new

material about Canadian colleges, as well. I liked reading about how this is an issue in Canada,

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since Canada is very similar to the United States. I found the reading to be easy to comprehend,

as well as enjoyable reading.

Social Work Students Support and Well Being Annotation

Collins, S., Coffey, M., & Morris, L. (2010). Social Work Students: Stress, Support and Well-

Being. The British Journal of Social Work, 40(3), 963-982. (19). Retrieved from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/43687492

The topic of this reading is that a study was conducted in the United Kingdom to assess stress

in Social Work students. The article mentioned that not much research on student stress has been

completed, but research on Social Workers in the field has. Main points of this reading include

social work students and stress and the findings of the study.

The students of this study were both Bachelor and Master’s level students. It was noted by

Collins et al., (2010), that a little more than half of these students were of European descent. In

addition, the majority were also single, but some participants “…reported more than one status,

such as being single and caring for dependent relatives” (Collins, et al., 2010, p.966). Another

factor of these particular students is that many of them were currently working at the time of the

study. Most of the students also “has previous experience of paid social work…[or] experience

of voluntary social work” (Collins, 2010, p.966). Therefore, these students come from a wide

variety of backgrounds and were also experienced in their fields from either working or

volunteering.

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Second, this study compared its findings to previous studies conducted in the United States

and Canada. All of these programs suggest that the programs have high expectations and”

[d]emands to be successful…attend[ing] the course…and academic essays were scored the

highest” (Collins, 2010, p.972). These are academic components that students could be stressed

about. Students’ jobs and family lives were also taken into consideration to see if there were

differences among stress and gender. This did not appear to have an effect on the students.

However, a contributing factor to student stress in this sample was if students had social work

volunteer experience versus those who did not have experience. According to Collins (2010),”

[t]hose with no previous experience of voluntary social work reported poorer well-being”

(p.971). Therefore, it can be concluded that Social Work students find their field practice to be

the most stressful element of the program. The findings of this study demonstrate that Social

Work students who have previous experience in the field are less stressed because they have

more preparation prior to entering a program.

After reading this article, I was surprised to learn that the study in the United Kingdom

showed similar findings to Social Work students in American and Canada. It demonstrates that

students across the globe are stressed about similar things. I also liked learning about how

students’ previous volunteer experience has an effect on their perception of well-being. Overall, I

found this reading to be well organized and easy to comprehend.

Addressing Stress with Social Work Students Annotation

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Dziegielewski, S., Turnage, B., & Roest-Marti, S. (2004). Addressing stress with social work

students: A controlled evaluation. Journal of Social Work Education, 40(1), 105-119. (14).

Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/23043982 http://www.jstor.org/stable/23043982?

Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=ADDRESSING&searchText=STRESS&search

Text=WITH&searchText=SOCIAL&searchText=WORK&searchText=STUDENTS:&searchTe

xt=A&searchText=CONTROLLED&searchText=EVALUATION&searchUri=%2Faction

%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3DADDRESSING%2BSTRESS%2BWITH%2BSOCIAL

%2BWORK%2BSTUDENTS%253A%2BA%2BCONTROLLED%2BEVALUATION%26amp

%3Bfilter%3D&refreqid=search

%3A4408e6cffd35235b36e2699795b0c88c&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

The topic of this reading is social work students and stress. It discusses how there have

not been many studies about social work students and stress, but there have been on social

work professionals. Main points of this article are the methods of this study and the

discussion of the findings.

For this particular study, the respondents involved “…were 48 undergraduate students…

recruited as volunteers” (Dziegielewski et al., 2004, p.110). These students were put into two

groups and attended a seminar about managing stress as a student. Prior to the seminar, students

filled out a questionnaire that would provide their demographic information, as well as some

other aspects. Additional questionnaires were given to students in order “…to measure the

effectiveness of the seminar’s content in reducing stress levels” (Dziegielewski et al., 2004,

p.111). After the surveys and seminars were completed, the results of the findings were analyzed.

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The findings indicated these techniques, such as attending a seminar are helpful to

students. In addition, the seminar utilized ways to reduce stress, such as “…deep breathing and

guided imagery” ((Dziegielewski et al., 2004, p.115). However, the study would have been even

more helpful if the seminars were longer. The benefits of the seminar were that students were

better able to recognize symptoms of stress so they could take action to reduce stress. The study

also emphasizes that these techniques are useful in the social work profession because social

work itself can be a stressful career.

In conclusion, I found the article to be interesting because I have not heard of seminars

being used to help with stress before. The theme of the seminars was preventing stress by

recognizing when help is needed. This is applicable to the profession of social work since it can

be a stressful job. I found this reading to be easy to comprehend and easy to read.

Hearts and Minds Annotation

Grant, L. (2014). Hearts and Minds: Aspects of Empathy and Wellbeing in Social Work

Students. Social Work Education, 33(3), 338-352. (14).

http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=3&sid=9e25fbf1-11f2-4261-9904-

b4a505ccd95c%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=94451533&db=aph

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The topic of this reading is empathy in the Social Work curriculum. The programs that these

students attend need to have more professors integrating this in their classrooms because the

more empathy they are taught; the more effective students are in the field. Main points of this

article are empathy in social work and the findings of the study.

First, the article provides a definition of empathy from a social work standpoint. This

component is what makes Social Workers so effective. According to Grant (2014), “…a

practioner is required to imagine that they are experiencing the world of the client as if they were

that person” (p.341). Empathy can also work in two ways. It is either beneficial to a problem, or

it is not. In addition to living through the eyes of the client, Social Workers are also able to be

self reflective of themselves. By doing this, they can be in control of their emotions in many

situations, but also be able to provide empathic concerns towards a client.

Second, a study was conducted to see how empathy affects Social Work students

themselves. Grant (2014), states that “…emotional curriculum for…students…has the potential

to build resilience for practice” (p.342). This means that by developing empathy, these students

can help themselves not become drained from their emotions or a client’s emotions. The study

was conducted in England via an online survey. The study revealed that “…social work students

who demonstrated stronger reflexive abilities were less likely to be empathically distressed”

(Grant, 2014, p.343). This means that these particular students are able to preserve their own

energy and they do not become exhausted by the emotional setting their work. Therefore,

empathy is a very important aspect of Social Work training.

After reading this article, I found it to be interesting because I learned about the

importance of empathy in my Social Work class. Empathy acts as a self care component for

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social workers, but also enables them to connect with clients. I found this reading to be easy to

comprehend and well organized.

The Relationships Among Hours Employed Annotation

Hawkins, C., Smith, M., Hawkins, R., & Grant, D. (2005). The relationships among hours

employed, perceived work interference, and grades as reported by undergraduate social work.

Journal of Social Work Education, 41(1), 13-27. (14). Retrieved from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/23044030

The topic of this reading is to see the effects of student employment on grade point

average and how work affects students’ academics. The students in this study were

undergraduate social work majors. The main ideas of the study are the methods used to obtain

data, the demographic differences of students, and the discussion of the findings.

The first main point describes the ways in which the researchers collected their data. For

example, Hawkins et al., (2005), states that in this study, the “…sample consisted of 300

undergraduate social work students from two large public universities in the southwest” (p.14).

The students were given surveys and they were also tested again one month later. The

researchers wanted to see if there was a difference between the students at the two universities

when it came to their work hours and school course loads. After distributing the surveys, it was

noted that “...BSW students from Texas State were enrolled in more course hours…than UT

BSW students” Hawkins, et al., 2005, p.15). After discovering this, the researchers wanted to

break down the sample into demographics.

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The second main point, which mentioned demographic information, suggests that gender

is a contributing factor in this study. According to Hawkins et al., (2005), “[m]ales reported that

they worked more hours per week…than females…, [and] had a lower overall GPA” (p.18).

Other factors that affected how many credits students took was their marital status. This affected

their GPA and some students indicated that their families distracted them from school work, as

well. Students’ class standing also affected GPA, for instance “[u]pper class students…reported

significantly higher overall GPAs, were enrolled in more credit hours…and worked more hours”

(Hawkins, 2005, p.19). Therefore, there are many factors contributing to undergraduate student’s

GPA, including their jobs.

Lastly, the discussion of the study elaborated more on the findings. Hawkins (2005),

notes that the findings “…suggest that working half-time while pursuing a full course load is

typical for this sample” (p.22). In this group of students, the majority of them were employed at

the same as being enrolled in college courses. Overall, less than fifty percent of the students had

said that their work interfered with their school, and “[a] few students commented that the BSW

curriculum or internship “interfered” with their responsibilities to work or family” (Hawkins,

2005, p.23). This was an interesting outcome of the study, that the curriculum, not work was the

issue of interference.

In conclusion, I enjoyed reading this article about undergraduate students. I thought that

it was interesting than male and female students have different reporting’s for how many hours

that they work. I also liked learning about how student employment affects GPA because many

students that I know work and attend college. I found this article to be easy to read and

comprehend, as well as well organized with the headings.

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College Student Stress and Mental Health: Examination of Stigmatic Views on Mental Health

Counseling Annotation

Holland, D. (2016). College student stress and mental health: Examination of stigmatic views on

mental health counseling. Michigan Sociological Association,30, 16-43. (27). Retrieved May 4,

2017, from

http://www.jstor.org/stable/43940346?

Search=yes&resultItemClick=true&searchText=social&searchText=stigma&searchText=univers

ity&searchText=students&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoAdvancedSearch%3Fq0%3Dsocial

%2Bstigma%26amp%3Bed%3D%26amp%3Bf2%3Dall%26amp%3Bq1%3Duniversity

%2Bstudents%26amp%3Bc3%3DAND%26amp%3Bq3%3D%26amp%3Bf3%3Dall%26amp

%3Bq5%3D%26amp%3Bc5%3DAND%26amp%3Bc2%3DAND%26amp%3Bsd%3D%26amp

%3Bdc.sociology-

The topic of this article is how stigma of mental health counseling affects college

students, such as they do not use these services because of the fear of being stigmatized

themselves. The main points of the article include the participants of the study, the results of

the study, and the discussion of the findings.

The first main point of the reading was who participated in the study. The research

presented focused on college students who volunteered to be part of the study. By studying

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college students, the researchers wanted to see how students were affected by the stigma of

utilizing mental health services. According to Holland (2016), the “…research procedures

included informing respondents about the availability of…counseling services on and off

campus,” in order to help students understand the services offered (p.20). Most of the students

surveyed were freshman, many of which were Caucasians and other ethnic minorities.

The next main point included the results of the study, which encompasses how students

feel about mental health counseling and which students are more likely to use these services. The

study showed that younger students do not use mental health services, while older students, such

as seniors do. In addition to this, Holland (2016), notes that “…females were more likely to use

mental health counseling than males” (p.27). It was also noted that the younger group of college

students feel more negatively about mental health than the older students, as do Caucasian

individuals. This is very interesting considering that the majority of college students surveyed for

the study were Caucasian.

The final main point of this article was the discussion of the findings. In general, it was

known to researchers that students view mental health services with a stigmatic perspective. In

addition, it was also discovered that students behave in positive or negative ways to stress, which

leads to them either utilizing counseling or not. Holland (2016), notes that “[a]s students’

stigmatic views increased, they were less likely to use mental health counseling” (p.33). This is

due to feeling that others will view them in the same category as someone with severe mental

illness, even if students just need help coping with stress. This fear of being labeled as deviant

pushes them away from these services. Holland (2016), describes how universities can help

educate students on the measures taken to secure student privacy when using counseling. This

should increase student usage of the services offered. Holland (2016), also notes that “…first

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year students may fall prey to maladaptive coping methods”, such as drugs and alcohol because

they are young and do not know about other coping methods (p.34). This group needs more

education about how to handle stress and services that are available in order to cope with their

stress.

In conclusion, I enjoyed this article because of the depth of the topic. I learned that

college students do not like to use mental health services because they think it will make them

look bad in the eyes of their peers. I liked that towards the end of the reading, the author

provided information about how to change the perception of the stigma surrounding mental

health services on campus. By doing this, it allows for students to understand that using these

counseling services is acceptable and is for their benefit. I found this article to be easy to read

and well organized, as well as very interesting.

Social Work Students’ Research Related Anxiety and Self-Efficacy Annotation

Maschi, T., Wells, M., Yoder Slater, G., MacMillan, T., & Ristow, J. (2013). Social Work

Students' Research-Related Anxiety and Self-Efficacy: Research Instructors' Perceptions and

Teaching Innovations. Social Work Education, 32(6), 800-817. (17).

doi:10.1080/02615479.2012.695343 http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?

vid=26&sid=2ba43762-befd-4d47-8c86-

87c78e69bc72%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=89705031&db=aph

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The topic of this reading is how social work instructors help their students overcome

anxiety related to research courses. A study was conducted to see how these instructors reduce

student stress and what their interpretation of what students have the most anxiety about. The

main points of this reading include the instructor perceptions of student research experience, and

their attentiveness to anxiety.

First, undergraduate and graduate level social work students appear to face anxiety about

research courses, therefore, anxiety in this setting must be defined. According to Maschi et al.

(2013), anxiety is best described as “a specific unpleasant emotional state… elements of fear…

worry, escape/avoidance behavior and physiological symptoms” (p.801). This is how social work

instructors perceive their students’ feelings about research to be. Since the professors are aware

of the issue, they have already taken action towards their students’ anxieties because they realize

that they need to treat the problem. If this problem were to go unresolved, social work students

would continue to have negative feelings and perceptions of their research courses, as well as

their major. However, these professors use different methods to relieve student anxiety.

Second, based on the attempts of the instructors, it was discussed that student anxiety

changes over the course of the semester. The study in which the social work professors

participated, they indicated that “perceived students’ research anxiety at the beginning of the

course was greatly reduced by the end of the course” (Maschi et al., 2013, p.811). Therefore,

these professors are aware of social work student anxiety as an issue and they use methods that

are effective in reducing it. These professors have developed classroom methods for creating a

comfortable environment for students and offer these techniques as solutions to student anxiety

within the major. Some of the techniques used by professors include “…fun activities, self-

assessments, and openly discussing fear and anxiety” (Maschi et al., 2013, p.810). These

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techniques demonstrate professor attempts to make social work students unafraid of potential

barriers in obtaining their degrees.

In conclusion, I found this reading to be interesting in that the professor have recognized

a problem and have started to reassure their students capabilities in the difficult course. This was

new information to me because I did not know that social work student take research courses or

that professors in this major try to reduce student stress and anxiety. I found this reading to be

easy to read and enjoyable.

From Theory Towards Empathetic Self-Care Annotation

Napoli, M., & Bonifas, R. (2011). From Theory Toward Empathic Self-Care: Creating a Mindful

Classroom for Social Work Students. Social Work Education, 30(6), 635-649. (14).

doi:10.1080/02615479.2011.586560 http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?

vid=9&sid=058a827a-e693-4600-8c25-

ad4bfec92200%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=64391301&db=aph

The topic of this reading is how social work classes are teaching students to be aware of their

own reactions to stress. This awareness allows for these students to learn how to better manage

themselves, as well as how to relate to clients later on. Main points of this article include

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elements of a mindful classroom, a study conducted on the topic, and the results of the study on

student mindfulness.

First, mindfulness in this scenario has many benefits for students; in their education and

professional lives. According to Napoli and Bonifas (2011), “[w]hen students are mindful, they

are aware and accepting of whatever is arising in the present”, which allows for them to gain a

client’s perspective (p.636). However, this training starts in the social work program for students.

Napoli and Bonifas stress that it is important for professors to make their students comfortable so

they can properly engage in mindfulness. For example, it is crucial that “…social work

educators…create a safe environment for student to express their fears and doubts” (Napoli and

Bonifas, 2011, p. 638). In doing so, students then learn the techniques of mindfulness in this safe

space.

Second, a study was conducted on students who participated in the Quality of Life

Curriculum, which is a “16-week graduate course that facilitates students’ exploration of self-

care and…witness their own experience” (Napoli & Bonifas, 2011, p.640). This study consisted

of surveying students who participated in this course. The questionnaires were given to students

after they took the course to see if they felt that they had more awareness afterwards. This

curriculum incorporates an in person class once a week, as well as students using course

materials to “…engage in a one-hour mindfulness practice twice a week” (Napoli & Bonifas,

2011, p. 640). Therefore, the study would determine if the curriculum, such as class meetings

and exercises were helpful.

Finally, the results of the study were analyzed. The findings indicate that the curriculum

is successful because the researchers found a “…statistically significant improvement in three of

the fours components of mindfulness” Napoli & Bonifas, 2011, p.645). Based on the findings,

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students appear to be more aware and engaged in their emotional responses of mindfulness.

Therefore, this curriculum is helpful to social work students. However, it is noted that in class

curriculum is not as helpful as real life training. Thus, the course material itself needs to be

supplemented with the in class activities and setting in order to provide the most benefits.

In conclusion, I found it to be interesting these classes teach their students about

mindfulness, since social work students need the training. I found it to be interesting that the

course homework assignments need to be paired with the classroom environment to provide

results. I enjoyed learning about this topic, since it was a new aspect of social work curriculum

for me to read about. Overall, I found the article to be easy to read, comprehend, and engaging.

Stress, Anxiety, Resilience and Coping Annotation

Stanley, S., & Mettilda Bhuvaneswari, G. (2016). Stress, Anxiety, Resilience and Coping in

Social Work Students (A Study from India). Social Work Education, 35(1), 78-88. (10).

doi:10.1080/02615479.2015.1118451 http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?

vid=5&sid=058a827a-e693-4600-8c25-

ad4bfec92200%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=112707367&db=aph

The topic of this article is how stress in Social Work students is measured. The study was

conducted in India to see if female students’ stress levels were higher or lower at certain times in

the program. Main points of the study are stress and anxiety of students and the implications of

the study.

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In this study, the respondents were all females from India, in an all female program.

According to Stanley and Bhuvaneswari (2016), the analysis of the findings showed that “stress

and anxiety level are high in newly admitted students…and highest in 3rd-year students, but

lower in students in their 2nd year” (p.83). Studying these students in India is different than

observing Western students because they are stressed about different issues, such as different

program requirements and cultural expectations. Social Work students in India begin the

program when they are younger than students in other countries. In addition, these students

encounter “[a] lack of trained social workers in …placement agencies [which] put…supervision

on academic tutors to whom students are assigned” during their field practice (Stanley &

Bhuvaneswari, 2016, p.79). This is especially difficult for undergraduate students.

Secondly, these undergraduate programs in India are longer than the ones in America. The

study revealed “…that both 1st-and 3rd-year social work undergraduate student need extra

measures to deal with the anxiety and stress that they experience” (Stanley & Bhuvaneswari,

2016, p.86). It was also discovered that in India, Social Work is not a highly valued profession. It

is not seen as a good way to make money, especially for female students. In addition to the

programs being difficult and the families not being supportive of the career choice, these

students have a very difficult time completing their degree. Culturally, female students “…are

under pressure from their families to get married on course completion” (Stanley &

Bhuvaneswari, 2016, p.88). It was also discussed that tutors in India are used as both academic

tutors, and personal counselors for students.

After reading this article, I find it very interesting as to how other countries run Social Work

programs. I did not realize that the programs are so difficult and that there are many pressures for

these students, especially if they are female. The cultural perception of Social Work as a

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profession in India was new to me and I found this reading to be easy to comprehend and well

organized.

Idealism, Altruism Career Orientation and Emotional Exhaustion Among Social Work

Undergraduates Annotation

Steven Sek-Yum, N., & Chau-kiu, C. (2009). Idealism, altruism, career orientations, and

emotional exhaustion among social work undergraduates. Journal of Social Work Education,

45(1), 105-121. (16). http://eds.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=9&sid=2ba43762-befd-

4d47-8c86-87c78e69bc72%40sessionmgr104&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=36617412&db=aph

The topic of this reading is how undergraduate social work students idealisms of the

profession are correlated to emotional exhaustion, among other components. A study was

conducted at a university in Hong Kong to see how undergraduate students are affected in this

manner. The main points of the reading include burnout and the results of the study.

First, it was discussed that individuals that work in a profession such as social work, face

burnout and exhaustion. According to Steven Sek-Yum (2009), burn out and exhaustion is

common in professions, such as nursing and social work, and is described as “a reaction to

chronic occupational stress…from… caregivers and their service users” (p.107). Therefore, this

phenomenon needs to be studied in order to provide resources for students so they do not face

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these issues prior to entering the workforce. In addition, this will help students to learn how to

manage workplace stress later on. Sek-Yum (2009), states that “[a] recent trend in research on

burnout has been an increased focus on…students who enter helping professions,” since they

appear to exhibit this early in their careers (p.105). Therefore, not only is burnout prevalent

among the professionals in these occupations, but also the students who will enter the workforce.

For example, when it comes to social work students, they face becoming worn out and exhausted

“…in field practicum, because they are expected to serve people in need and get emotionally

involved with…clients’ problems” (Sek-Yum, 2009, p.106). This is often due to students not

having experience in the field of social work or seeing what the occupation is like, until they

observe a supervisor in field practice in action.

Secondly, the results of the study indicated that it is necessary to take action to help social

work students. Sek-Yum (2009), states that as a solution “to prevent emotional exhaustion

among students…faculties should concentrate on helping students develop a positive attitude”

when it comes to this career selection (p.116). In changing their students’ attitudes, the faculty

help students see the benefits of their career and why it was the right choice for them. In

addition, another solution in combating student exhaustion is to aim “…future research…to the

specific services setting in which students undertake field practicum” (Sek-Yum, 2009, p.117).

In doing so, educators would be able to pinpoint the causes of student exhaustion and help to

better prepare their students for the social work profession.

In conclusion, I enjoyed this article because it identified a problem with social work students

prior to their workforce entry. I have not read anything about this before so it was a new topic for

me. I also liked that the reading provided solutions for the problem. All in all, I found the reading

to be easy to comprehend, well organized, and easy to read about the study.

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Resilience Amid Academic Stress Annotation

Wilks, S. E. (2008). Resilience amid academic stress: The moderating impact of social work

support among social work students. 106-125. (19). Retrieved September 26, 2017, from

http://advancesinsocialwork.iupui.edu/index.php/advancesinsocialwork/article/view/51

The topic of this article is social support for college students dealing with stress. In

particular, this article discusses a study on social work students to assess the impact of

support about stress. Main points of this reading include academic stress in conjunction with

social support, the methods used in the study, and the findings of the study.

The first main point is how academic stress and support are related to students being able

to cope with stress. This study focuses on social work students and how they are affected by

each. This article includes a literature review, which indicates that social work academia is

understood to be more stressful to students than their employment in the field later on. For

example, Wilks (2008), states that “[s]ocial work students are vulnerable to high levels of

psychological distress” (p.107). These were the findings from previous literature on the topic.

Thus, this explains the importance of social support. Social support is the components that

students have in order to use as resources for stress. In the case of social work students, Wilks

(2008), notes that “…social support is faculty” (p.109). This is the most common form of social

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support for students; without faculty there to support them, students suffer from more academic

stress.

Second, a study was conducted to see how these social supports function for social work

students. The methods used in the study were “…self-report[ed] questionnaires distributed to

BSW and MSW students” (Wilks, 2008, p.111). These students were from several schools in the

South. The researchers used a multitude of scales to measure their findings. Some of the scales

utilized were the Academic stress scale, Perceived Social Support Scale, and a Resilience Scale.

In addition to this, Wilks, (2008), notes that “[d]escriptive statistics and correlations were

calculated for demographics and conceptual model variables” (p.113). These analyzed

components were then described in the results.

Lastly, the findings of the study were examined. The results did show that social work

students felt stressed, but that they “…reported a fair amount of social support for both support

systems—familial and friend” (Wilks, 2008, p.117). It was also found that friend support has the

ability to alter student stress levels because it is a general life component. Therefore, because

issues among these groups, such as friends or a students’ work, could make them more stressed.

This happens even though friends are a form of support for students.

In conclusion, I found this reading to be interesting in that it focuses on what kinds of

support that social work students have. I found it to be interesting that students mostly rely on

friends and family for support, but friends can have a negative impact of stress. I also thought

that it was interesting that faculty are the most common and easily accessible form of support for

students. All in all, I found this reading to be easy to read and comprehend, as well as intriguing

to read about other students in the United States.

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Preparing Social Workers for Practice Annotation

Wilson, G. (2013). Preparing Social Workers for Practice: Re-evaluating Student Learning

Needs. Social Work Education, 32(5), 590-606. (16). doi:10.1080/02615479.2012.702206

http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=b7c47a22-2d5a-4faa-897a-

47d629d61f6b%40sessionmgr4009&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=89100442&db=aph

The topic of this reading is that in the United Kingdom, it has become apparent that

undergraduate level social work students feel that they are not as prepared as they should be in

certain areas. Therefore, a study was conducted to see how students in Ireland compare to social

work student preparation in England. The purpose of the study was to raise awareness of this

issue and what needs to be done about it. The main points of this reading include why bachelor

level social work student program satisfaction is important in Europe and the findings of the

study in Ireland, which compared English and Irish social work students/

First, it was noted by Wilson (2013), European undergraduate social work programs are

undergoing a “…current reform process [for] how best to prepare students [for their] …

demanding practice environments” (p.590). Since the programs are being redesigned, it is the

result of English universities being made aware that their students that graduated from their

bachelor level program were not equipped to handle the scenarios that occur in English social

work employment settings. This is largely due to a “wake of a succession of child care deaths” in

England (Wilson, 2013, p.591). In order to assess which areas that social work students were not

well trained in, a study was conducted to see what students’ interpretations of their preparation

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and readiness were. The study was intended to assess the areas of the curriculum that are not

adequate and then to implement positive changes in the curriculum.

Secondly, the findings of the study were conducted in Ireland on social work students

there because they face similar issues in the workforce as England when it comes to the deaths of

children. In addition, Ireland’s “new social work degrees…ha[ve] similar requirements to social

work degrees in the rest of the UK,” thus, demonstrating how these students have fared after

Ireland upgraded their program (Wilson, 2013, p.592). The researchers were interested in how

these students felt about their field practice opportunities and if they felt that it had positively

impacted their workforce preparation. For instance, Wilson (2013), states that student

“participants reported that they felt less well prepared for…procedural practice in agency

settings” (p.597). Based on the findings, the students in Ireland did not feel that they were trained

properly for their field practice locations while in the program. This translates to them not feeling

like they can do similar work in the social work profession.

However, the study in Ireland focused on the different kinds of programs in Ireland for

social work. There are both a two-year and a three-year undergraduate degree option for students

in Ireland. Consequently, Wilson (2013), noted that in their field practice, “students who had

undertaken the two-year route…felt they had been disadvantaged…by the shorter…training”

(p.601). In the program in Ireland, prior to the curriculum changes, students were not trained in

social work settings for child care. The United Kingdom was looking to improve this in Ireland

and made changes to the program. After this model worked well in Ireland, England wanted to

make similar changes to improve student satisfaction from their undergraduate programs.

In conclusion, I found it interesting that in Europe, undergraduate students can partake in

a two or three-year program. In the United States, it is just a two-year option, so that was new

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information for me to learn about. I found the reading to be engaging and easy to comprehend

and I would like to read more about this topic to see how social work programs differ in other

countries.

Bachelor of Social Work Students and Mental Health Stigma Annotation

Zellmann, K. T., Madden, E. E., & Aguiniga, D. M. (2014). Bachelor of Social Work Students

and Mental Health Stigma: Understanding Student Attitudes. Journal of Social Work Education,

50(4), 660-677. (17). doi:10.1080/10437797.2014.947900

http://eds.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=15&sid=6ba329ec-41f1-4284-83e8-

155f58a1c657%40sessionmgr4007&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d

%3d#AN=100485915&db=aph

The topic of this article is how social work students feel about individuals with mental

illness, such as working with this population of people in the future. This article also addresses

how social work students also feel about receiving mental health services and how they would

face stigma from their peers. The main points of this article are social work students and mental

health treatment, the purpose of the study conducted, and the results of the study.

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First, several studies have shown that social work students both have an interest in

working in mental health or they do not have an interest in the field. The previous studies

indicated that social work students have many reasons for not wanting to work with individuals

with mental illness. Some of the reasons were that this area of work does not pay as well and that

it is difficult to help clients with mental illness. Since students understand how individuals with

mental illness are viewed by society, Zellmann et al., (2014), state that “…the strong presence of

stigma [has]…negative effects…on students’ willingness to attend to their own mental health”

(p.663). Therefore, social work students in particular, do not utilize mental health services

because they are more aware than students in general, of the potential stigma they may face from

peers.

Secondly, a study was conducted to obtain an understanding of “[a]ttitudes of BSW

student toward mental illness [since it] will likely influence their career decisions” (Zellmann et

al., 2014, p.663). The researchers expressed interest in the students’ overall well-being since it

was clear from student attitudes about mental illness, that they would opt to not seek services for

their own needs. An important component of the study, based on student attitudes suggested that

if student perceptions of mental illness could be better understood, it would have “…possible

implications for social work curriculum”, such as improving student attitudes about mental

illness (Zellmann et al., 2014, p.664). The student participants in the study were given

questionnaires to see how they felt about this topic.

Based on the findings of the study, it was determined that students both felt positively or

negatively about mental illness and stigma, However, the student attitudes varied, based on the

students’ own views if they themselves were to receive services. For example, “if people

recognize that individuals with mental illness…are capable of achievement, they [are]…less

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fearful of being identified as having a mental illness” (Zellmann et al., 2014, p.671). For students

who do not share the same attitudes, they feel that they will face more stigma and have more

negative attitudes toward individual with mental illness. Thus, students’ opinions of stigma and

mental health influence the areas of social work they are interested in and how they feel their

peers will view them if they seek services.

In conclusion, I was surprised to hear about undergraduate social work students’ opinion

on stigma and mental illness. Prior to reading the article, I did not think that student attitudes

about this topic would have an effect on which field they would want to work in. I also did not

realize that students feel both positively and negatively about this topic. I found the article to be

easy to read and comprehend, as well as well organized.

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