RCT: Mindfulness for Social Work and Self-care

Background: Social work is a stressful occupation with social workers at high risk of burnout. Existing studies have focused on the impact of working conditions and work-related stress in this population. However, despite this focus stress and burnout among this population remains high, as a result the average working life of social workers considerably shorter than that of counterparts in healthcare.

Interventions to address the impact of job-related stress, and burnout, on frontline social workers have been developed, however there is a lack of evidence on the implementation and effectiveness of these interventions. Robust evidence on effective social work interventions to improve psychosocial outcomes among this population is needed.

Mindfulness is an approach which has been linked to positive outcomes among health and social care professionals, such as improved wellbeing, increased levels of self-compassion, reduced stress and burnout. Self-care or self-compassion has been identified as a promoter of positive health related outcomes among social workers.

However, evidence to support the use of mindfulness interventions among social workers remains scant. There has been a lack of information relating to mindfulness programmes tailored to specific professions; with mindfulness research to date having more of a focus on healthcare or student populations. More information is required on the effectiveness of mindfulness among social workers. An evidence gap also exists around the effectiveness of briefer mindfulness programmes; with recognised programmes such as MBSR and MBCT requiring significant time commitments from participants which may not be suitable for practicing social workers. In light of this evidence it is clear more high quality RCTs are needed to add to the evidence base in this area and to inform future provision for social work.

With this in mind, this study looks to confirm the efficacy of a bespoke, innovative, 6-session Mindfulness Intervention for social workers (MBSWSC); and to explore the mechanisms through which the MBSWSC may mitigate the impact of stress in social work. It also looks to compare the outcomes from the MBSWSC programme with a modified, condensed 3 session mindfulness programme (MBSC) to confirm the impact of briefer mindfulness programmes.

This RCT looks to build on findings of an earlier RCT exploring the effects on MBSWSC. More explicitly, this RCT aims to:

Confirm the efficacy of the MBSWSC programme at improving social worker: - Stress, feelings of burnout, anxiety, low mood and well-being (primary outcomes);

• Mindfulness, attention regulation, acceptance, self-compassion, non-attachment and aversion, worry and rumination (secondary outcomes).
• Explore the mechanisms through which mindfulness may improve outcomes, more specifically the mechanisms through which mindfulness mitigates the effects of stress on burnout.
• Confirm any differences between MBSWSC outcomes and outcomes on the MBSC Methods: A minimum of 70 participants, providing consent to participate in the study will be recruited to the study. On completion of baseline measures, participants will be randomised to either the experimental (MBSWSC) or active control (MBSC) groups. Participants in both groups will complete a range of psychosocial measures at baseline (1 week pre-intervention), post-intervention, and at three month follow-up.

The primary outcome of the study is the efficacy of MBSWSC on social worker stress, feelings of burnout, anxiety, low mood and well-being and secondary outcomes; and the mechanisms through which this occurs.

The secondary outcome of the study is the differences in outcomes for MBSWSC participants and participants on the modified, condensed (briefer) MBSC.

Inclusion criteria

• Frontline social work practitioner
• Working in Northern Ireland
• Aged 18 years and over

Exclusion criteria

• Social workers in strategic social work roles with no contact with clients