scholarly journals Self-Compassion in Irish Social Work Students: Relationships between Resilience, Engagement and Motivation

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (15) ◽  
pp. 8187
Author(s):  
Yasuhiro Kotera ◽  
Freya Tsuda-McCaie ◽  
Ann-Marie Edwards ◽  
Divya Bhandari ◽  
Geraldine Maughan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Intrinsic Motivation ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Social Work Educators ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Different Levels

Self-compassion recognises a meaning of life’s suffering, aligning with existential positive psychology. Although this construct is known to protect our mental health, how to augment self-compassion remains to be evaluated. Social work students suffer from high rates of mental health problems; however, research into self-compassion in this population remains to be developed. This study aimed to evaluate (i) relationships between self-compassion and more traditional positive constructs—resilience, engagement and motivation, and (ii) differences of these constructs between the levels of studies to inform how self-compassion can be enhanced in social work students. A total of 129 Irish social work students completed self-report scales regarding self-compassion, resilience, engagement and motivation. Correlation, regression and one-way MANOVA were conducted. Self-compassion was associated with gender, age, resilience, engagement and intrinsic motivation. Resilience and intrinsic motivation were significant predictors of self-compassion. There was no significant difference in the levels of these constructs between the levels of studies. Findings suggest that social work educators across different levels can strengthen students’ resilience and intrinsic motivation to cultivate the students’ self-compassion. Moreover, the close relationships between self-compassion, resilience and intrinsic motivation indicate that orienting students to the meaning of the studies helps their mental health.

scholarly journals Roles of Positive Psychology for Mental Health in UK Social Work Students: Self-Compassion as a Predictor of Better Mental Health

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (7) ◽  
pp. 2002-2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Kotera ◽  
P Green ◽  
D Sheffield
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Self Compassion

Abstract Despite high shame about mental health symptoms among UK social work students, positive psychological approaches to their mental health have not been investigated in depth. Emotional resilience has been a core skill in social work practice; however, its relationship with mental health is still unclear. Therefore, the primary purposes of this cross-sectional study were to (i) examine the relationships between mental health and positive psychological constructs, namely resilience, self-compassion, motivation and engagement and (ii) determine predictors of mental health in UK social work students. An opportunity sampling of 116 UK social work students (102 females, 14 males; 96 undergraduates, 20 postgraduates) completed 5 measures about these constructs. Correlation and regression analyses were conducted. Mental health was associated with resilience, self-compassion and engagement. Self-compassion was a negative predictor, and intrinsic motivation was a positive predictor of mental health symptoms. Resilience did not predict mental health symptoms. The findings highlight the importance of self-compassion to the challenging mental health of UK social work students; they caution against the overuse and misunderstanding of resilience in the social work field.

scholarly journals Mental Health of Medical Workers in Japan during COVID-19: Relationships with Loneliness, Hope and Self-Compassion

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuhiro Kotera ◽  
Akihoko Ozaki ◽  
Hirotomo Miyatake ◽  
Chie Tsunetoshi ◽  
Yoshitaka Nishikawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
General Population ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Current Crisis ◽  
Self Compassion

Abstract The current pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has negatively impacted medical workers’ mental health in many countries including Japan. Although research identified poor mental health of medical workers in COVID-19, protective factors for their mental health remain to be appraised. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate relationships between mental health problems, loneliness, hope and self-compassion among Japanese medical workers, and compare with the general population. Online self-report measures regarding those four constructs were completed by 142 medical workers and 138 individuals in the general population. T-tests and multiple regression analysis were performed. Medical workers had higher levels of mental health problems and loneliness, and lower levels of hope and self-compassion than the general population. Loneliness was the strongest predictor of mental health problems in the medical workers. Findings suggest that Japanese medical workplaces may benefit from targeting workplace loneliness to protect staff mental health from the current crisis.

Effectiveness of Youth Mental Health First Aid USA for Social Work Students

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 291-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Theda Rose ◽  
Judith Leitch ◽  
Kathryn S. Collins ◽  
Jodi J. Frey ◽  
Philip J. Osteen
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Health Beliefs ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Youth Mental Health ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Mental Health First Aid ◽  
Self Confidence

Purpose: Adolescent mental health is a public health priority. Considered an early intervention approach, Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) trains adults to provide initial assistance to adolescents experiencing a mental health problem or crisis. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the U.S. version of YMHFA (YMHFA-USA) among graduate social work students. Method: A quasi-experimental design ( N = 73; intervention, n = 39; comparison, n = 34), using the Mental Health Beliefs and Literacy Scale, assessed the effectiveness of YMHFA-USA. Outcomes were measured at pretest, posttest, and 5 months in the intervention group. Differences between groups were compared at 5 months. Results: Statistically significant improvements in attitudes, beliefs, self-confidence, and knowledge were observed among intervention group students. At 5 months, these students had significantly better attitudes and greater knowledge and self-confidence than the comparison group. Conclusion: Results indicate YMHFA-USA may improve factors related to master’s level social work students’ abilities to engage with youth experiencing mental health problems.

scholarly journals Cross-Cultural Comparison of Mental Health Between German and South African Employees: Shame, Self-Compassion, Work Engagement, and Work Motivation

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuhiro Kotera ◽  
Claude-Hélène Mayer ◽  
Elisabeth Vanderheiden
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
South African ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Work Motivation ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Self Compassion

The negative impact of the coronavirus disease outbreak 2019 (COVID-19) on work mental health is reported in many countries including Germany and South Africa: two culturally distinct countries. This study aims to compare mental health between the two workforces to appraise how cultural characteristics may impact their mental health status. A cross-sectional study was used with self-report measures regarding (i) mental health problems, (ii) mental health shame, (iii) self-compassion, (iv) work engagement and (v) work motivation. 257 German employees and 225 South African employees have completed those scales. This study reports results following the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. T-tests, correlation and regression analyses were performed. German employees had lower mental health problems and mental health shame, and higher self-compassion than South Africans. Mental health problems were positively associated with mental health shame and amotivation, and negatively associated with work engagement and intrinsic motivation in both groups. Lastly, self-compassion, a PP 2.0 construct, was the strongest predictor for mental health problems in both countries. Our results suggest (i) that German culture’s long-term orientation, uncertainty avoidance and restraint may help explain these differences, and (ii) that self-compassion was important to mental health in both countries. While the levels of mental health differed between the two countries, cultivating self-compassion may be an effective way to protect mental health of employees in those countries. Findings can help inform managers and HR staff to refine their wellbeing strategies to reduce the negative impact of the pandemic, especially in German-South African organizations.

Reflectivity in social work practice with clients with mental-health illness

2006 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kam-shing Yip
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Travail Social ◽  
Trabajo Social ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Different Levels

English The author's nine years' experience in developing social work students' practical reflectivity in working with clients with mental illness is described in this article. By means of various teaching strategies, students' different levels of reflectivity were developed. Promise and challenges to social work education are also discussed. French Dans cet article, l'auteur décrit son expérience de neuf ans en tant que formateur d'étudiants en travail social dans le développement de leur réflexivité dans le travail auprès de clients souffrant de maladie mentale. Divers niveaux de réflexivité des étudiants ont été développés à l'aide d'une variété de stratégies d'enseignement. Des promesses et des défis pour la formation des travailleurs sociaux sont également élaborés. Spanish El autor describe sus nueve años de experiencia enseñando a los estudiantes de trabajo social a usar la reflexión práctica en el trabajo con clientes con enfermedades mentales. Usando varias estrategias de enseñanza, los estudiantes desarrollaron sus capacidades reflexivas. Se examinan las promesas y las dificultades de la educación para el trabajo social.

scholarly journals The Correlation between affective Temperaments and Internalizing Problems Reported by Adolescents of Age 14-18 Years

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 379
Author(s):  
MA. Niman Bardhi ◽  
Dr.Sc. Mimoza Shahini
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Internalizing Problems ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Social Withdrawal ◽  
Somatic Complaints ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Mental Health Issue ◽  
Youth Self Report ◽  
Affective Temperaments ◽  
Significant Difference

Internalizing problems are characterized by anxiety, depressed mood, social withdrawal, and somatic complaints. Childhood internalizing problems are a concerning mental health issue due to their continuity into adolescence and associated functional impairment. This study focused on studying the relation between affective temperaments and internalizing problems, in a sample of adolescents in the community. There has been very little research in mental health problems in children and adolescents in Kosovo.The aim of this study was to identify the link between affective temperaments with youth psychopathology, by measuring both temperament with Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego (TEMPS) and youth psychopathology with Youth Self Report (YSR) in the Kosovo sample. Our study found that depressive, cyclothymic, anxious, and irritiative temperaments were more displayed in female respondents. Meanwhile, hyperthermic temperament was not found to be reported as interrelated to gender.However, gender related differences were significant on the YSR scales, with female respondents reporting higher values on those scales. The study found that there is a significant difference between the groups with normal scores on Depressive Temperament with group with high scores for all scales of Internalizing problems. More scores in Depressive Temperament more scores in Internalizing Scales.The same tendencies were found for Cyclothimic Temperament and Anxious temperament. Hyperthermic temperament was not found to have significant effect on Anxious/ Depressed, Withdrawn, Somatic Complaints, and Social Problem. Irritative temperament was found to have significant effect only in Anxious/ Depressed F (2) = 13.1, p<.01, η2= .03.The higher scores in Anxious/ Depressed scores were found in the group with high scores in Irritative Temperament. The study concluded that temperament may only be one of several factors contributing to the development of psychopathology. This study found that the temperament, which is influenced by environment and biology, is a significant predictor for internalizing problems.

scholarly journals Mental health of medical workers in Japan during COVID-19: Relationships with loneliness, hope and self-compassion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuhiro Kotera ◽  
Akihiko Ozaki ◽  
Hirotomo Miyatake ◽  
Chie Tsunetoshi ◽  
Yoshitaka Nishikawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Regression Analysis ◽  
General Population ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Medical Staff ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Self Compassion

AbstractThe current pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has negatively impacted medical workers’ mental health in many countries including Japan. Although research identified poor mental health of medical workers in COVID-19, protective factors for their mental health remain to be appraised. Accordingly, this study aimed to investigate relationships between mental health problems, loneliness, hope and self-compassion among Japanese medical workers, and compare with the general population. Online self-report measures regarding those four constructs were completed by 142 medical workers and 138 individuals in the general population. T-tests and multiple regression analysis were performed. Medical workers had higher levels of mental health problems and loneliness, and lower levels of hope and self-compassion than the general population. Loneliness was the strongest predictor of mental health problems in the medical workers. Findings suggest that Japanese medical workplaces may benefit from targeting workplace loneliness to prevent mental health problems among the medical staff.

scholarly journals Cross-cultural comparison of mental health between Japanese and Dutch workers: relationships with mental health shame, self-compassion, work engagement and motivation

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 511-530 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasuhiro Kotera ◽  
Michelle Van Laethem ◽  
Remi Ohshima
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Work Engagement ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Work Motivation ◽  
Health Problems ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Compassion

PurposeThe primary purpose of this descriptive study was to compare the levels of, and relationships among mental health problems, mental health shame, self-compassion, work engagement and work motivation between workers in Japan (collectivistic and success-driven culture) and the Netherlands (individualistic and quality-oriented culture).Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional design, where convenience samples of 165 Japanese and 160 Dutch workers completed self-report measures about mental health problems, shame, self-compassion, engagement and motivation, was used. Welch t-tests, correlation and regression analyses were conducted to compare (1) the levels of these variables, (2) relationships among these variables and (3) predictors of mental health problems, between the two groups.FindingsDutch workers had higher levels of mental health problems, work engagement and intrinsic motivation, and lower levels of shame and amotivation than Japanese workers. Mental health problems were associated with shame in both samples. Mental health problems were negatively predicted by self-compassion in Japanese, and by work engagement in Dutch employees.Originality/valueThe novelty of this study relates to exploring differences in work mental health between those two culturally contrasting countries. Our findings highlight potential cultural differences such as survey responding (Japanese acquiescent responding vs Dutch self-enhancement) and cultural emphases (Japanese shame vs Dutch quality of life). Job crafting, mindfulness and enhancing ikigai (meaningfulness in life) may be helpful to protect mental health in these workers, relating to self-compassion and work engagement. Findings from this study would be particularly useful to employers, managers and staff in human resources who work with cross-cultural workforce.

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