Experiences of social work students in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed-methods study

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a growing body of research on the impacts of pandemics on students globally. This holds true for the social work discipline: pandemic-related research on the overall social work education and practice has been on the ascendancy. That said, there is still the need for research studies that specifically focus on the impacts of pandemics and crises on social work students. This exploratory, IRB-approved mixed-methods study collected quantitative and qualitative data from 66 undergraduate and graduate social work students at a large public state university on the United States east coast. Participants responded to survey questions about their experiences and stress responses and areas of support during the early part of the ongoing pandemic. Utilizing the researchers’ own public university in the U.S. east coast as a case study, this article highlights examples and explores the level of institutional, faculty, and staff support from both the undergraduate and graduate levels. This paper contributes to the social work field by examining student stress responses through quantitative and qualitative data from students’ self-reported responses. It also highlights certain protective factors—including support systems and coping mechanisms—for students during the early stages of the pandemic.

KEYWORDS:

• COVID-19 pandemic
• social work education
• stress
• social work students
• stress response

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hadih A. Deedat

Dr. Hadih A. Deedat holds a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in Sociology from the University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana. He also holds a Master of Public Health degree from Temple University, Philadelphia, PA and Master of Social Work and doctoral (Social Work) degrees from Widener University, Chester, PA. Dr. Deedat was a full-time Family Crisis Therapist with the Delaware Office of Evidence-Based Practice between 2012 and 2019, where he advanced the welfare of children and youth in foster care. Dr. Deedat joined West Chester University of Pennsylvania in 2019 and currently teaches across the Baccalaureate Social Work program curriculum at the University, with special focus on child welfare education and practice. Dr. Deedat has extensive years of experience in child welfare practice, education, and research. His research interests encompass child welfare, immigrant welfare, intersection of public health and social work, and evidence-based social work.

Brie E. Radis

Dr. Brie E. Radis is a licensed clinical social worker and an associate professor of social work at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of the Doctor of Social Work program at the University of Pennsylvania. Brie received her social work and her law and social policy graduate training at Bryn Mawr’s Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research. Brie has worked in the field of community mental health, substance use, homelessness, and housing first since 2004. She is a passionate advocate for integrated health care, trauma-informed care, harm reduction, and the housing first philosophy. She is also an experienced trauma therapist and clinical supervisor for students and staff.