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Student Psychosocial Well-being and Burnout During Level II Fieldwork: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Analysis

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to explore the influence fieldwork educator support has on stress, burnout, and self-efficacy, and examine how both students and fieldwork educators support student psychosocial well-being and protective factors during Level II fieldwork (FWII). An explanatory sequential mixed method design was used, including a student cross-sectional survey (n=129) followed by one student (n=5) and two fieldwork educator focus groups (n=12). Outcome measures utilized for the cross-sectional survey included the Perceived Stress Scale, self-developed Perceived Fieldwork Educator Support Questionnaire, Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, and New General Self-Efficacy Scale. Results showed that statistically significant correlations existed among perceived fieldwork educator support and the following: stress (r=-0.443, p<.01), self-efficacy (r=0.221, p<.05), and burnout (r=-0.468, p<.01). Findings of this study demonstrate that greater perceived fieldwork educator support was linked to lower stress, lower burnout, and greater self-efficacy. Themes identified included factors that influenced fieldwork student well-being during FWII; roles perceptions and expectations affected experiential education success; communication was key for promoting student well-being and collaborative relationships; and opportunities to improve experiential education. Protective factors preventing the development of stress and burnout for students included high self-efficacy and perceived fieldwork educator support. Results from this study can assist fieldwork coordinators and fieldwork sites with program development that promotes student psychosocial well-being and supportive relationship building between students and fieldwork educators during FWII.

Source: Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

DOI: 10.26681/jote.2025.090104

Authors: Grace V Perry, Katherine F Varughese, Yongyue Qi, Cary Moore, Vanessa D Jewell

Institutions: Valley Health System, Creighton University, University of Alaska Anchorage, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Language: English

Topic: Stress and Burnout Research

Subfield: Social Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Quality education, Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

OpenAlex ID: W4414498324

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