Abstract
Social work students are exposed to academic and fieldwork stressors that challenge preexisting self‐concepts and worldviews and temporarily reduce personal competence and mental health. The current study examined the role of mindfulness in explaining the variation in competence and mental health between 37 entering and 28 graduating masters of social work students. Using a paper‐pencil survey, graduating second‐year students reported significantly lower mindfulness, personal competence, and mental health than incoming first‐year students. Furthermore, mindfulness significantly mediated the two groups' variation in personal competence and mental health. Implications are discussed.