Jourdan Archambault, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC (USA)
Emma Clarke, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC (USA)
Natalie Lembeck, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC (USA)
Kristen Tyler, Western Carolina University, Cullowhee, NC (USA)

This poster presentation explores whether burnout can be exasperated and spread among individuals within a cohort. The experiences of the individuals in the cohort model will be captured qualitatively through surveys with MSW students at a university in the Appalachian region of the Southeastern United States. This project may inform the future of cohort models in social work programs and clinicians in the field, which may have further implications on the efficacy of social work practice.

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Presentation Description:

Within the field of social work, the impact of burnout in the profession has been largely studied (Adams et al., 2017), but less focus has been given to studying the impact of burnout in social work education, specifically within the framework of the cohort model. While some literature has pointed to benefits of the cohort model within Master of Social Work (MSW) programs, other literature has speculated drawbacks for a cohort-based learning environment (Ferguson & Brown, 2019; Lamb & Jacobs, 2009; Nicotera et al., 2023). The experiences of MSW students will be assessed through qualitative surveys. The research will explore burnout and the potential spread of burnout between social work students in a cohort model at a university in the Appalachian region of the Southeastern United States. Young social work professional's efficacy and the future of social work education may benefit from the findings of this research. 

Those listening to our poster presentation will hear how we conducted the research, the themes we found, and what this could mean for the future of social work, masters programs, and group work.

Keywords: Burnout, Social Work, Cohort Model, Education, University

References:

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