Social workers

Social workers are exposed to trauma and suffering through experiences that are retold to them through their clients. This secondary exposure to suffering can have a negative impact on the practitioner resulting in compassion fatigue. The purpose of this study was to examine whether self-compassion is significantly correlated with lower levels of compassion fatigue among social work interns. The researcher examined levels of self-compassion and compassion fatigue amongst undergraduate, generalist, and clinical specialist graduate social work interns. Next, demographic characteristics (age, number of hours employed, gender, race, and religion) associated with self-compassion and compassion fatigue in social interns were identified. Finally, while controlling for the effects of the demographic characteristics, the linear relationship between self-compassion and compassion fatigue was examined in social work interns.
The sample comprised of 156 social work interns at two universities in South Florida. Descriptive statistics including mean, standard deviation, median, Cronbach’s alpha, range (minimum-maximum), skewness and kurtosis were calculated for continuous variables. Frequency and percentages were calculated to describe the categorical variables. ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, independent-samples t test, and multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine additional relationshipsin this study.

There is an increasing trend of using Complementary and Alternative Interventions (CAI) to address mental health conditions. This research aims to bring awareness to how social workers integrate and utilize CAI in practice with clients. This study examined the following questions: (1) Do LCSWs use CAI in professional assessment and practice with clients, as well as in their own lives (i.e., in their personal/non-professional practice)?; (2a) What levels of CAI beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge do LCSWs report?; (2b) What demographic characteristics are associated with CAI beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge?; and (3) Controlling for relevant demographic characteristics (years of post-master’s practice, personal use of CAM/CAI, gender), what beliefs, attitudes, and knowledge are associated with CAI use in assessment and practice?

A qualitative examination of the lived experiences of clinical social workers’ use of self in practice was completed. The current study was designed to examine how LCSWs defined and utilized use of self in practice. Additionally, the study was focused on how LCSWs’ use of self evolved from introduction in graduate education to postgraduate practice. Informed by Mead’s (1934) theory of self, as well as Walters’ (2008) distilled definition of Dewane’s (2006) operational definition of use of self, fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted from a purposive sample of licensed clinical social workers from a southeastern region of the United States. Using constant comparative analysis to synthesize the findings, two themes emerged. First, participants described individual development of the use of self as clarified by subthemes of educational instruction and application in practice. Second, participants discussed how they integrated the use of self in practice, clarified by personal and professional factors of Dewane’s definition, such as personality traits and skills gained in social work education. With this study, the researcher aimed to contribute to the practice literature by systematically examining the operational definition of the use of self and to suggest implications to inform educational curricula and practice standards for professional development. Study limitations were discussed, in addition to implications for future research.

The purpose of this study was to explore how social work practitioners employed in schools perceive their level of competency in suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention and to identify educational and professional challenges specific to this area of inquiry. This study sought to explore the following research questions: 1) How do school social workers perceive their level of competency in suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention with at-risk suicidal children and youth? 2) What are school social workers educational or professional challenges in providing suicide prevention, assessment, and intervention? This research study was predicated on a qualitative research design and conventional content analysis. The research design allowed for an in-depth examination of school social workers’ ability to make critical decisions when providing suicide prevention, assessment and intervention to youth at risk of suicide. The findings of this study suggest that, despite past and current education, training, and clinical practice experience working with at-risk suicidal youth, continual training is necessary in increasing perceived professional competency and addressing familial, organizational and societal challenges pertinent to at-risk suicidal youth.