BSW Student Perspectives on the Utility of Brief, Classroom-Based Mindfulness Practices

ABSTRACT

This exploratory study set out to examine the impact of weekly mindfulness practices on Year 4 Bachelor of Social Work students’ ability to develop attentional processes, therapeutic presence, and empathy in classroom-based role-play scenarios and practicum placements. Participants (n = 24) received a brief, 10– 15 minute mindfulness practice each week at the start of class. Individual interviews were conducted (n = 9) following completion of the course and thematic analysis was used to surface salient themes. Findings were grouped into the following themes: (1) benefits of mindfulness; (2) challenges of mindfulness; (3) mindfulness practices; (4) readings; (5) instructor factors; (6) future mindfulness practice; and (7) knowledge transfer. Our findings suggest undergraduate social work students can elucidate the benefits of mindfulness practice but struggle transferring these benefits to clinical practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Mindfulness
• BSW social work
• BSW students
• knowledge transfer

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Lea Tufford

Lea Tufford is Assistant Professor in the School of Social Work, Laurentian University. Her research and clinical interests focus on mindfulness, social work education, simulation, holistic competence, and child abuse and neglect. She draws on two decades of clinical practice with individuals, couples, and families.

Ellen Katz

Ellen Katz is Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW), University of Toronto. Her research and clinical interests focus on family therapy, simulation, the development of competence in both students and clinicians, mindfulness, and meditation. She has worked in clinical practice for more than 25 years with individuals, couples, families and groups in hospitals, children’s mental health settings and in private practice, with a particular interest in family therapy.

Cassandra Etherington

Cassandra Etherington is completing her Bachelor of Social Work at Laurentian University in Ontario. She has over 5 years of experience working as a mental health counselor. Cassandra’s interests are Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, mindfulness, and maternal well-being.