The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of parental support on social work students’ well-being. This study assessed social work students’ perspectives on perceived social support, financial support and the relationship between student stress levels and depression levels. The data was collected using quantitative surveys and was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS). A total of 64 students participated in the study. Results concluded that there was no relationship between parental financial support, parental social support, depression levels, and stress levels were not statistically significant. The study also revealed that parents did not contribute financially to social work students. It was also found that friends played a bigger role in social work students life compared to family. The study recommends increases educational materials on stress and depressive symptoms, training, support from staff, and a one-time mandatory mental health counseling session.

Socionomprogrammet i Sverige är en generalistutbildning som ska ge förberedelser inför arbetslivet som socionom. Vi upplever att flertal socionomstudenter är fundersamma om deras kunskaper från och förberedelser i utbildningen är tillräckliga för att ta sig an arbetsuppgifter som socionomer. Studiens syfte är att undersöka nuvarande och tidigare socionomstudenters upplevelse av kunskap och förberedelse inför arbetslivet, kopplat till olika ämnesområden, samt undervisnings- och examinationsformer. Valet av kvantitativ metod och enkät som mätinstrument baserades på att vi ville nå ut till fler personer och få en större överblick av situationen. Studien genomfördes på Hälsohögskolan i Jönköping och populationen valdes ut genom ett strategiskt urval, utifrån studiens frågeställningar.  Studien genomfördes i samarbete med socionomstudenter i termin 6 och socionomer som examinerades 2018. I resultatet framgår det att kunskap och förberedelse är sammankopplat, hög upplevd kunskap i ett område är kopplat till starkare känsla av förberedelse i ämnesområdet. Generellt är respondenterna neutrala eller lätt positiva kring sin förberedelse inför arbetslivet som socionom. Utmärkande var att VFUn ansågs vara det mest givande under hela utbildningen. / The social work program in Sweden is a generalist education that will prepare students for social working tasks. Our experience is that a lot of social work students are questioning whether their knowledge and preparations from the social work program are enough to prepare them for employment as social workers. The aim of this study is to examine current social work students and newly graduated social workers experience of knowledge and preparedness to work. Different topic areas, form of teaching, and form of examinations are surveyed. Choosing quantitative methods and survey as our instrument, was based on the fact that we wanted to reach more people and get a larger overview of the situation. The study was conducted at School of Health and Welfare in Jönköping, the population was strategically selected based on its relevance of the study topic.  The study was conducted with students attending their 6th semester and with social work students who graduated in 2018. Descriptive statistics were computed. The results reveal that knowledge and preparedness are connected, knowledge in one area is linked to preparedness to work with that area. Generally, the respondents are neutral or slightly positive about their preparedness to work. Periods on internship / working placement (VFU) was considered as the form of education that generated the strongest effect on preparedness out of the entire social work program.

The aim of this study is to examine social work students’ experiences of knowledge regarding ethnicity and culture in the social work education at Stockholm University and if this knowledge is of importance for their future role as social workers. This is a qualitative study based on seven semi-structured interviews. The students were asked about how knowledge regarding ethnicity and culture has been depicted in the social work education and how to integrate this subject in the social work education to make it significant for the students. Lastly, the social work students also discussed whether they believe that the social work education has given them skills for their future work with clients categorized as non-ethnic swedes. The theoretical framework used in this study is the critical theory, anti-oppressive theory and the term ethnocentrism. The results of this study highlight that knowledge regarding ethnicity and culture has been depicted from western perspective, knowledge regarding ethnicity and culture should be integrated through discussions and by having teachers who have interpretative prerogative. Further, the social work students emphasized the need for awareness of oppressive structures that affect clients categorized as non-ethnic swedes and self-reflection as a set of important skills for their future work with these clients.

The purpose of this study is to describe trauma in the lives of social work students studying at Unisa South Africa. It explores how they describe trauma, what traumatic experiences they have gone through, the effect these experiences had on them, what they did to cope and how these experiences impacted their work as aspiring social workers. A case study was conducted with fourth-level students at Unisa South Africa. The theoretical framework adopted for the research was the person-centred approach. The research involved both focus group interviews and a survey. Both quantitative and qualitative data were generated. Descriptive statistics were used to create a profile of the participants. Qualitative data were analysed using a hermeneutic method. The perceptions of the participants were re-told by the researcher in the form of specific themes that emerged from the data. These themes were discussed and compared with the literature. Implications for the students’ work as social workers were discussed. The study accessed unique aspects of trauma that are grounded in the South African context. The description of trauma that emerged from the research created a new definition of the meaning of trauma. The research discusses the effects of trauma on the emerging professional self of the social work student. Recommendations are made that could be valuable to social work educators wishing to further the personal and professional growth of social work students. The research is also of value to those working with traumatised people. / Social Work / D .Litt. et Phil. (Social Work)

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, 2009. / Title from screen (viewed on August 27, 2009). School of Social Work, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). Advisor(s): Cathy Pike, Hea-Won Kim, Margaret Adamek, Drew Appleby. Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 317-330).

The purpose of this study is to describe trauma in the lives of social work students studying at Unisa South Africa. It explores how they describe trauma, what traumatic experiences they have gone through, the effect these experiences had on them, what they did to cope and how these experiences impacted their work as aspiring social workers. A case study was conducted with fourth-level students at Unisa South Africa. The theoretical framework adopted for the research was the person-centred approach. The research involved both focus group interviews and a survey. Both quantitative and qualitative data were generated. Descriptive statistics were used to create a profile of the participants. Qualitative data were analysed using a hermeneutic method. The perceptions of the participants were re-told by the researcher in the form of specific themes that emerged from the data. These themes were discussed and compared with the literature. Implications for the students’ work as social workers were discussed. The study accessed unique aspects of trauma that are grounded in the South African context. The description of trauma that emerged from the research created a new definition of the meaning of trauma. The research discusses the effects of trauma on the emerging professional self of the social work student. Recommendations are made that could be valuable to social work educators wishing to further the personal and professional growth of social work students. The research is also of value to those working with traumatised people. / Social Work / D .Litt. et Phil. (Social Work)

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / GREGORY RESEARCH BELIEFS SCALE: FACTOR STRUCTURE AND PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES The study at hand involves developing the Gregory Research Beliefs Scale (GRBS) to reliably and validly measure social work students’ beliefs about the function of research in social work practice. Research has considerable actual and potential benefits for practice. Social work students’ beliefs about this construct are vital. A description of the advantages of using research to inform practice is given. Additionally, the Council on Social Work Education and National Association of Social Workers’ policies that mandate the merger of research and practice are also provided to further justify the need for adequate psychometric evaluation of the construct. Details of the literature search strategy are described and critical evaluations of the empirical articles are conducted. Based on critical evaluations of instruments which have previously measured the same construct, a number of psychometric shortcomings are outlined to validate the need for further scale development of the construct. The present study’s objectives were to develop a scale which has an empirically and theoretically supported factor structure, acceptable coefficient alpha levels, empirically supported discriminant (divergent) validity, concurrent criterion validity, and known–groups criterion validity. Steps for developing the GRBS’s items, response format, sample, research design, and statistical tests are specified and conducted to determine the factor structure and psychometric properties. Finally, the strengths, limitations, and areas for future research are discussed.

Compared to other South African universities, the Department of Social Work at the UNISA has the highest intake of social work students but also the lowest throughput. Through post-graduate research, the Department of Social Work became aware of the often impeding influence of the personal, social and learning contexts of social work students on their performance, and identified a need for social work-specific student support. The following central research question was formulated: What would a life coaching programme to support social work students within an ODL context comprise of? To explore and describe the specific support needs of social work students, the qualitative research approach was used and data was gathered from focus groups of social work students and individual interviews with recently graduated and employed social workers who studied at UNISA. Tesch’s steps (in Creswell, 2009:186) were used to analyse the data systematically and data was verified by integrating Guba’s model (in Krefting, 1991:214-222) with Yin’s (2011:19-20) three objectives for building trustworthiness and credibility. The Intervention Design and Development (IDD) model of Rothman and Thomas (1994) was adapted and selectively employed, concentrating on Phase 1, 2, 3 (only Step 2) and Phase 4 in order to develop a support programme for this specific context. The goals of the support programme were to enhance student success and throughput, facilitate the personal, academic and professional development of students and to empower students to take ownership of their learning process. An online self-coaching support programme was developed and structured around seven actions towards growth, namely, clarifying my strengths, connecting to my context, clarifying my vision, completing my plan, committing to action and growth, confirming my direction and celebrating completion. The programme is divided into eight coaching conversations, two per level, contains many activities, stories and references to resources. It is designed to be compulsory and integrated into the practical work modules. Although activities are to be completed independently by students, support will be provided by e-tutors, workshop facilitators and supervisors. A programme coordinator will be available online as an e-coach to provide ongoing support to social work students. / Social Work / D. Phil. (Social Work)

Compared to other South African universities, the Department of Social Work at the UNISA has the highest intake of social work students but also the lowest throughput. Through post-graduate research, the Department of Social Work became aware of the often impeding influence of the personal, social and learning contexts of social work students on their performance, and identified a need for social work-specific student support. The following central research question was formulated: What would a life coaching programme to support social work students within an ODL context comprise of? To explore and describe the specific support needs of social work students, the qualitative research approach was used and data was gathered from focus groups of social work students and individual interviews with recently graduated and employed social workers who studied at UNISA. Tesch’s steps (in Creswell, 2009:186) were used to analyse the data systematically and data was verified by integrating Guba’s model (in Krefting, 1991:214-222) with Yin’s (2011:19-20) three objectives for building trustworthiness and credibility. The Intervention Design and Development (IDD) model of Rothman and Thomas (1994) was adapted and selectively employed, concentrating on Phase 1, 2, 3 (only Step 2) and Phase 4 in order to develop a support programme for this specific context. The goals of the support programme were to enhance student success and throughput, facilitate the personal, academic and professional development of students and to empower students to take ownership of their learning process. An online self-coaching support programme was developed and structured around seven actions towards growth, namely, clarifying my strengths, connecting to my context, clarifying my vision, completing my plan, committing to action and growth, confirming my direction and celebrating completion. The programme is divided into eight coaching conversations, two per level, contains many activities, stories and references to resources. It is designed to be compulsory and integrated into the practical work modules. Although activities are to be completed independently by students, support will be provided by e-tutors, workshop facilitators and supervisors. A programme coordinator will be available online as an e-coach to provide ongoing support to social work students. / Social Work / D. Phil. (Social Work)