ABSTRACT

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic upon social work programs have been profound and institutions have struggled to identify appropriate policies and interventions to address students’ educational, health, and safety needs. This manuscript reports the results of a survey administered to BSW and MSW students at three different timepoints during the pandemic: March 2020 (N = 157), November 2020 (N = 87), and March 2021 (N = 45). The survey explored students’ experiences of online learning, pandemic-related stressors, mental health symptoms, and the department and institution’s responses to the pandemic. Although initial comfort with online classroom learning was low, comfort levels increased significantly as the pandemic continued. Students in the MSW online program were the most comfortable with online learning and BSW students the least. Students reported high levels of pandemic-related stressors and behavioral health symptoms throughout the pandemic and approximately half the sample reported concerns about program continuance. Although students felt supported by the social work program, they felt institutional policies to address COVID-19 were inadequate. Useful interventions identified included access to mental health, financial supports, flexibility and support from faculty, clear and consistent communication, and a decrease in field hours during the pandemic.

摘要

COVID-19 大流行对社会工作计划的影响是深远的，机构一直在努力确定适当的政策和干预措施来满足学生的教育、健康和安全需求。本手稿报告了在大流行期间的三个不同时间点对 BSW 和 MSW 学生进行的调查结果：2020 年 3 月（N =  157）、2020 年 11 月（N =  87）和 2021 年 3 月（N = 45). 该调查探讨了学生的在线学习体验、与大流行相关的压力源、心理健康症状以及部门和机构对大流行的反应。尽管最初对在线课堂学习的舒适度很低，但随着大流行的持续，舒适度显着提高。MSW 在线课程的学生对在线学习最满意，而 BSW 学生最不满意。在整个大流行期间，学生报告了高水平的与大流行相关的压力源和行为健康症状，大约一半的样本报告了对项目持续性的担忧。尽管学生们感受到社会工作计划的支持，但他们认为应对 COVID-19 的机构政策不够充分。确定的有用干预措施包括获得心理健康、经济支持、