Interventions for mitigating stress and anxiety of social work and counseling practicum trainees: a systematic review

By the nature of their professional training and practice placements, social work students are prone to situations provoking the onset of anxiety. A programme of academic and placement support, termed the ‘Skills Lab’, provides help and support for students to develop their communication skills and prepare for their practice placements and transition into professional social work practice. Skills Lab evaluations indicated a high level of appreciation, linked with a strong sense of apprehension and anxiety, which some students report has negatively affected their performance. To address student anxiety, a pilot study using Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) was developed. EFT is an intervention, which may potentially be effective in reducing academic anxiety and enhancing public speaking. This mixed-methods pilot study measured participants’ (n = 45) subjective distress and anxiety before and after using EFT. Subjective distress/anxiety was invoked through a 15-min assignment lecture. Twelve of the 45 students also participated in one-one interviews to elaborate on their experiences of EFT. Quantitative findings indicated participants reported significantly less subjective distress and anxiety after using EFT. Qualitative findings indicated three themes whereby participants found EFT calming, relaxing and helpful; considered the transferability of EFT in other settings; and proposed some of the mechanisms of EFT’s action.

The objective of this pilot study was to compare the efficacy of Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) with that of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in reducing adolescent anxiety. Randomized controlled study. This study took place in 10 schools (8 public/2 private; 4 high schools/6 middle schools) in 2 northeastern states in the United States. Sixty-three high-ability students in grades 6-12, ages 10-18 years, who scored in the moderate to high ranges for anxiety on the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale-2 (RCMAS-2) were randomly assigned to CBT (n = 21), EFT (n = 21), or waitlist control (n = 21) intervention groups. CBT is the gold standard of anxiety treatment for adolescent anxiety. EFT is an evidence-based treatment for anxiety that incorporates acupoint stimulation. Students assigned to the CBT or EFT treatment groups received three individual sessions of the identified protocols from trained graduate counseling, psychology, or social work students enrolled at a large northeastern research university. The RCMAS-2 was used to assess preintervention and postintervention anxiety levels in participants. EFT participants (n = 20; M = 52.16, SD = 9.23) showed significant reduction in anxiety levels compared with the waitlist control group (n = 21; M = 57.93, SD = 6.02) (p = 0.005, d = 0.74, 95% CI [-9.76, -1.77]) with a moderate to large effect size. CBT participants (n = 21; M = 54.82, SD = 5.81) showed reduction in anxiety but did not differ significantly from the EFT (p = 0.18, d = 0.34; 95% CI [-6.61, 1.30]) or control (p = 0.12, d = 0.53, 95% CI [-7.06, .84]). EFT is an efficacious intervention to significantly reduce anxiety for high-ability adolescents.

Energy psychology practices—most notably Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) or tapping—are noninvasive, client-friendly methods of therapy that should be included in the social worker’s toolbox. EFT is an evidence-based practice that has been recognized as an effective treatment for a range of physical and emotional conditions including PTSD, anger, anxiety, stress, test anxiety, phobias, weight control, chronic pain, addiction, and other disruptive habits, behaviors, and limiting beliefs (Feinstein, 2012, 2018; Rowe, 2005; Stapleton, 2019). The technique has been used both nationally and internationally by organizations to aid in trauma relief for veterans, survivors of national disasters, war-related trauma, and mass shooting tragedies such as in Newtown and Pacific Grove (Ortner, 2013). Clinical EFT tapping protocols have been validated by research, with over 100 research studies, review articles, and meta-analyses published in professional, peer-reviewed journals (Stapleton, 2019). EFT also meets the requirements of...

Purpose Practicum in social work and counseling is intensive, and trainees’ mindsets shape learning experiences. We developed an intervention named Web-based Single-session Intervention of Mindsets on Intelligence, Failure, and Emotion (We-SMILE) and examined its acceptability and efficacy on reducing practicum-related anxiety. Materials and Methods The pilot study used a two-arm randomized controlled trial. Participants were recruited from social work and counseling practicum programs and were randomly allocated to the We-SMILE or training-as-usual (TAU) group. Participants were surveyed online at pre- (T0), post-intervention (T1), two-week (T2), and eight-week (T3) follow-ups. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results A total of 37 trainees participated in the pilot study (We-SMILE group: 15, TAU group: 22). Within-group analyses showed significant effects on reducing practicum-related anxiety at post-intervention (Z = -2.010, p = .044, Cohen’s d = 1.214), improving practicum preparation (Z = -2.669, p = .008, Cohen’s d = 1.902) and confidence at eight-week follow-up (t = 2.712, p = .017, Cohen’s d = 0.700). Discussion The We-SMILE intervention demonstrated short- and long-term positive effects in supporting practicum trainees. These findings suggest that mindsets related to intelligence, failure, and emotion can influence various dimensions of professional practice. Conclusion The pilot study demonstrated the potential of We-SMILE as an acceptable and effective practicum training intervention. A larger sample is needed for more comprehensive evaluations.

Peer supervision groups have been studied in counseling fields including psychotherapy and social work. However, limited research exists regarding genetic counselor peer supervision groups. In the present study five major research questions were investigated: (1) How prevalent is peer group supervision among genetic counselors? (2) What motivates genetic counselors to join and continue to seek peer group supervision? (3) What comprises the content, agenda, and structure of group meetings? (4) What are participants' perceptions of group dynamics, including conflicts, cohesion, and leadership? and (5) What are the perceived benefits and limitations of participating in peer group supervision? A total of 214 genetic counselors completed an online survey, and 70 (34.8%) reported being involved currently in peer group supervision. Fifteen of these 70 respondents were interviewed regarding their experiences in peer group supervision. Inductive analysis of their responses yielded 11 domains and 37 categories. Practice implications and research recommendations are discussed.

In this paper, I analyse a piece of social work practice using the reflections provided by a peer supervision (work discussion) group. I describe my work with an eight year child looked after, who telephoned me stating that he wanted to kill himself. I discuss the powerful unconscious processes that contributed to his risk-taking behaviour and my emotional experience of it. I reflect on how my knowledge of psychoanalytic theory enabled me to contain the powerful feelings being projected and to safely manage the situation. I highlight how reflective peer supervision groups are a helpful way to understand the complexities of the lives of children looked after and can help inform decision making.

The workplace represents a relevant source of stress for workers, being a risk factor for many mental disorders and psychological difficulties, including burn-out syndrome. Healthcare workers and other help-professions are particularly susceptible to work-related stress. The present systematic review aims to (1) identify available interventions for managing workplace-related stress symptoms; (2) assess their efficacy; and (3) discuss the current limitations of available interventions. A systematic review has been conducted, searching on PubMed, APA PsycInfo, and Scopus databases. Eighteen papers have been identified, which included different interventions for the management of work-related stress in healthcare professionals. These approaches can be grouped as follows: (1) interventions focusing on the individual level using cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) approaches; (2) interventions focusing on the individual level using relaxation techniques; and (3) interventions focusing on the organizational level. As regards interventions targeting the individual level using CBT approaches, mindfulness-based interventions were effective in reducing levels of burn-out, stress, and anxiety and in improving quality of life. As regards intervention using relaxation techniques, including art therapy, Emotional Freedom Techniques (ECT) and brief resilience retreats had a positive effect on the levels of anxiety, stress, and burnout. As regards interventions at the organizational level, we found no evidence for supporting its effectiveness in reducing the levels of burnout. Furthermore, available studies are heterogeneous in terms of assessment tools, target populations, and type of interventions, which limits the generalizability of findings.

BackgroundAdjusting clinical care to account for social risks and needs is vital to patient-centered care, but little attention has been paid to implementing it in routine practice. Kaiser Permanente co-designed and developed a continuing professional development (CPD) course to orient providers to adjustment activities, or social risk-informed care. We evaluated the dissemination and implementation of this course.MethodsWe evaluated the dissemination and implementation of the online CPD using the RE-AIM implementation framework and the Kirkpatrick model of evaluation for training and learning programs. Administrative records and completion reports were generated to track dissemination and completion. A pre- and post-survey design was utilized to assess provider changes in knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and self-efficacy in delivering social risk-informed care, and semi-structured interviews were conducted to describe effectiveness of the online CPD, adoption of social risk-informed care, and sustainability of the online CPD and other Kaiser Permanente social health integration initiatives.ResultsFrom April 2022-February 2023, 82 individuals completed the online CPD; 52 participants completed the pre-survey and 38 completed the post-survey. A total of 17 interviews were conducted over two phases of qualitative data collection (passive dissemination versus active dissemination). Interviewees felt the online CPD provided foundational knowledge in social health and social risk-informed care but requested more region- and role-specific resources. They also identified several systems-level barriers to social health integration.ConclusionsCo-designing medical education courses with various stakeholders is vital to ensuring relevant and effective educational material. However, high-quality, intentionally designed educational material needs to be complemented with multifaceted and targeted implementation strategies to achieve intended provider behavior change and improved patient outcomes.

Practicum is indispensable for the development of professional practitioners; yet, trainees may encounter psychological distress, especially anxiety, brought on by new challenges. Research stated that a positive mindset promotes better learning and mental status. Well-designed interventions have been shown to relieve anxiety and help trainees thrive in their practicums and professions. The proposed study adapted an integrated intervention, We-SMILE (Web-Based Single-Session Intervention of Mindset on Intelligence, Failure, and Emotion), for improving prepracticum anxiety and coping. We-SMILE has the potential to be a low-intensity self-help prepracticum intervention to support students in adjusting their mindsets and overcoming the challenges in practicum. Using a 2-arm randomized controlled trial, this study aims to examine the efficacy of We-SMILE on reducing anxiety (primary outcome) and enhancing psychological status, psychological well-being, learning orientation, academic self-efficacy, and confidence (secondary outcomes). A total of 117 students will be recruited from the social work and counseling programs and randomly assigned to existing prepracticum training (training as usual [TAU]) or that plus the We-SMILE. Participants will be assessed repeatedly at 3 time points: baseline, 2 weeks post intervention, and 8 weeks post intervention. The outcomes will be measured by validated items and scales on anxiety, mindsets, psychological well-being, and the Failure Mindset Scale. Recruitment for the pilot study was initiated in May 2024 during social work and counseling prepracticum briefing sessions. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention or TAU group. The intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis principle and linear regression-based maximum likelihood multilevel models will be used for data analysis. This study has received research ethics approval in May 2024. Participant recruitment started at the end of May 2024, and enrollment was ongoing as of when this protocol was submitted. Data collection and analyses are expected to be complete in 2025. The randomized controlled trial will compare the efficacy of the We-SMILE intervention group and the TAU group. The results of this study will benefit practicum students, fieldwork supervisors, and social work and counseling programs. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06509802; https://tinyurl.com/36vkwd63. DERR1-10.2196/67234.

BACKGROUND Practicum is indispensable for the development of professional practitioners; yet, trainees may encounter psychological distress, especially anxiety, brought on by new challenges. Research stated that a positive mindset promotes better learning and mental status. Well-designed interventions have been shown to relieve anxiety and help trainees thrive in their practicums and professions. The proposed study adapted an integrated intervention, We-SMILE (Web-Based Single-Session Intervention of Mindset on Intelligence, Failure, and Emotion), for improving prepracticum anxiety and coping. We-SMILE has the potential to be a low-intensity self-help prepracticum intervention to support students in adjusting their mindsets and overcoming the challenges in practicum. OBJECTIVE Using a 2-arm randomized controlled trial, this study aims to examine the efficacy of We-SMILE on reducing anxiety (primary outcome) and enhancing psychological status, psychological well-being, learning orientation, academic self-efficacy, and confidence (secondary outcomes). METHODS A total of 117 students will be recruited from the social work and counseling programs and randomly assigned to existing prepracticum training (training as usual [TAU]) or that plus the We-SMILE. Participants will be assessed repeatedly at 3 time points: baseline, 2 weeks post intervention, and 8 weeks post intervention. The outcomes will be measured by validated items and scales on anxiety, mindsets, psychological well-being, and the Failure Mindset Scale. Recruitment for the pilot study was initiated in May 2024 during social work and counseling prepracticum briefing sessions. Participants were randomly assigned to the intervention or TAU group. The intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis principle and linear regression–based maximum likelihood multilevel models will be used for data analysis. RESULTS This study has received research ethics approval in May 2024. Participant recruitment started at the end of May 2024, and enrollment was ongoing as of when this protocol was submitted. Data collection and analyses are expected to be complete in 2025. CONCLUSIONS The randomized controlled trial will compare the efficacy of the We-SMILE intervention group and the TAU group. The results of this study will benefit practicum students, fieldwork supervisors, and social work and counseling programs. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06509802; https://tinyurl.com/36vkwd63 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/67234

This article describes an action research project carried out by the authors in conjunction with a group of Irish hospital based social workers. The aim of the research was to investigate the introduction of reflective learning tools into peer supervision groups. Twenty-one social workers engaged with the research process. Data was collected from nine focus groups over a twelve month period. Findings chart the development of practitioners’ understandings of reflection. Engagement with the tools of reflective learning in peer supervision groups led to increased awareness and mindfulness (as described by Langer [1989]) in practice. Some of the challenges of peer supervision group processes are also explicated leading to the identification of further research questions.

Summary: This article describes an action research project carried out by the authors in conjunction with a group of Irish hospital based social workers. The aim of the research was to investigate the introduction of reflective learning tools into peer supervision groups. Twenty-one social workers engaged with the research process. Data was collected from nine focus groups over a twelve month period. Findings chart the development of practitioners’ understandings of reflection. Engagement with the tools of reflective learning in peer supervision groups led to increased awareness and mindfulness (as described by Langer [1989]) in practice. Some of the challenges of peer supervision group processes are also explicated leading to the identification of further research questions.

This article considers one of the key problems of modern education of professional social work, which isthe formation of psychological and pedagogical competencies of social workers through professional development courses. The organization of professional development courses should be built on the emphasis of formation of competences. It is important to organize courses in such a way that the necessary competencies become the determining condition for the formation of professionalism of social workers as subjects of practical activities. The formation of psychological and pedagogical competences is connected with the mastering, consolidation, application of special knowledge, skills and abilities. The correct organization of professional development courses stimulates practicing social workers to the active search, conscious overcoming the psychological difficulties that stand in the way of solving the problems of people who find themselves in difficult life situations, and formation of the competences necessary in their professional activities. Keywords: competences, psychological and pedagogical competences, social worker, professional development courses, competency-based approach;

In Europe, social counselling services increasingly follow the guiding principle active ageing. Active ageing policies help people recognise and use their physical, social and mental potential in order to participate in society according to their individual needs and capacities. Counselling the heterogeneous target group—‘older people’—implies that services should be prepared to address individual risks and resources. This article discusses the largely unclear position of social counselling for older people within social work in Europe. An empirical perspective is established with a German online survey, conducted among social counselling professionals nationwide (N = 1050). Their services were studied in terms of service provision, target groups, counsellor qualification and applied methods. The aim was to describe and classify the existing counselling provision. The study revealed that social counselling is located somewhere between advice and psychotherapy, and as such primarily focused on helping with age-related deficits and problems. A considerable proportion of client contacts results from acute crises. Still, only a third of the respondents followed a specific, defined concept in their work, and even fewer stated having gerontological qualification. Primary achievements of the study were to help classify existing social counselling services for older people and to develop basic gerontological training for counsellors.

This study evaluates the effect of a nurse training program in family planning counseling skills on the quality of service delivery at the clinic level, as well as its impact on client compliance with prearranged appointments. The study used a quasi-experimental design to compare certified nurses who received six weeks of family planning technical training with certified nurses who, in addition to the technical training course, received a three-day course in counseling skills. Data were collected through client exit interviews, expert observation, and inspection of medical record abstracts. Trained nurses performed better than their untrained counterparts in the quality-of-care areas investigated--interpersonal relations, information giving, counseling, and mechanisms for encouraging continuity. The likelihood that clients will attend follow-up visits was also found to improve when they were attended by trained professionals. Short-term counseling training can significantly improve the quality of care provided by family planning workers, as well as client compliance with follow-up appointments.