A qualitative study examining students’ perspectives on the process of change in a digital distress tolerance program

Purpose This study aims to explore students’ perspectives on the process through which their experiences in the Distress Tolerance Program influenced how they understood and managed distress. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study explored social work students’ perspectives on the process of change while participating in the digital Distress Tolerance Program. In total, 77 students (94% female; 61% white) enrolled in social work bachelor’s or master’s degree programs in the southeastern region of the USA took part in this study. Using a grounded theory approach, reflection papers and open-ended responses were analyzed. Findings This study developed the distress management model for students which depicts a three-stage progression: (1) building self-awareness of stress symptoms, values and productivity patterns; (2) applying distress tolerance strategies to daily life; and (3) developing confidence in managing overwhelming stress. Participants described learning practical strategies that they perceived as relevant to educational, professional and personal contexts. Participants reported that engaging with distress tolerance skills increased their awareness of stress and motivated more proactive coping. The high retention rate (99%) suggests that the asynchronous digital program format was acceptable and feasible for participants. Originality/value The authors extend prior research that has examined the benefits of distress tolerance interventions across student populations. Rather than focusing solely on intervention outcomes, this work contributes to the literature by centering students’ perspectives on how they interpret and make sense of their experiences when learning distress tolerance strategies.