Reducing Student Anxiety in Field Work

Role-playing of anxiety-arousing excerpts of student process was utilized to attempt to reduce the anxiety first-year MSW candidates report in relation to beginning the field practicum. Small group experiences were used as the vehicle within which to implement the study, which consisted of two types of groups, (1) the roleplaying, or experimental group and (2) one control group, also in a small-group experience, without role-playing, but with administrative and academic concerns as the focus. A second control group, involved in neither types of experiences, was also included. Three matched group leaders led three sessions of each type of group. Data were grouped for purposes of analysis. The hypothesis of the study asserted that the students in the experimental groups would manifest less anxiety about beginning the field practicum when tested than would those who had the other kind of small group experience and than those who were not involved in either group experience. Primary data were obtained from two administrations of the Spielberger et al. (1970) A-State Scale. An 'after only' design was utilized in order to minimize test/re-test contamination. Findings indicated that role plays in a small group setting and processing these in light of concerns about field and being evaluated were of value in reducing anxiety. Testing demonstrated a significant effect for group and for time, but not in the interaction of group by time. Implications for education and supervision are offered.