Creating resilient social workers: A pilot study on implementing resilience-building skills with social work students

Social work students in Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) accredited programs are expected to develop competencies in working with individuals, groups, and communities. However, limited research exists on their preparedness with resilience-building skills to navigate occupational challenges. This mixed-methods exploratory study examined the relationship between completing online resilience-building modules and students’ knowledge of resilience strategies. A pre-and post-assessment measured knowledge uptake among undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Louisville’s Raymond A. Kent School of Social Work and Family Science. The study explored two key questions: (1) What is the relationship between completing resilience-building modules and students’ knowledge of resilience skills? (2) What additional resilience strategies would support social workers’ personal and professional well-being? There were 130 students who completed the pre-assessment, and 50 completed post-assessment surveys. The final sample used for analysis was 41 students. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were employed, and results suggest knowledge uptake occurred despite the small sample size, specifically for questions related to mindfulness, cognitive behavioral techniques, and critical reflection resilience-building components. Responses to follow-up questions provided rich insights into additional skills and support needed to enhance well-being. Results align with existing research showing that resilience training, including mindfulness practices, supportive supervision, and cognitive-behavioral techniques, can strengthen students’ ability to manage professional challenges. Implications to research, practice, and policy are discussed.