Pearse McCusker
Biographic Data
| ID | 6023684 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Pearse McCusker |
| GIVEN NAMES | Pearse |
| FAMILY NAME | McCusker |
| SIGNATURE | MCCUSKER P |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Edinburgh |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-4026-9568 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 20 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 18 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 20 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2016 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
A Systematic Review of Dimensional and Categorical Models of Grief Related Disorders
Social workers’ views and experiences of self-care practices
Self-care is increasingly advocated as necessary for improving social workers’ wellbeing. However, it remains a contested term, with limited understanding of social workers’ views and experiences of what it constitutes in practice. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with nine social workers from three local authorities in Scotland. Informed by vulnerability theory, a six-phase thematic analysis was applied to explore socia…
Feeling well, feeling cared for? Using participatory and arts-engaged research to improve understanding and professional responses to the mental health needs of care-experienced young people
Care-experienced young people face significant levels of mental distress yet the nature and lived reality of this is poorly understood and undermines the degree to which professional caregivers can provide effective support. This is exacerbated by the lack of ‘voice’ and control care-experienced young people have as active producers of knowledge through research. Using a small-scale, knowledge exchange project, we sought to address these concerns…
Self-care in social work
In recent years, the self-care of social workers has become a focus for research and practice in recognition of the demands of the social work role. As part of a research project to explore ways to embed self-care into a social work degree programme at a Scottish university, a narrative literature review was undertaken to examine existing research on self-care for social work students and practitioners. This article reports on the findings from t…
Exploring Social Work professionals’ Experiences of the Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care Programme
The evidence for the potential of mindfulness-based programmes to support improved social work practice and self-care is growing. The aim of this focus group study was to explore social workers’ (n = 13) experiences of the Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-care programme (MBSWSC). Thematic analysis highlighted two superordinate themes: benefits to direct social work practice and coping with the social work role. Four subordinate themes highl…
Adult safeguarding legislation
Adult safeguarding legislation is contentious because it seeks to protect 'vulnerable' adults who fall between the borderlands of social care, mental health and mental capacity law. As a new and complex area of law and practice, further research on adult safeguarding legislation is required, in particular to consider it efficacy and human rights implications. Utilising a narrative literature review approach this article explores current research …
Reconceptualising coproduction as activism together
The COVID‐19 pandemic disrupted life across the world in multiple ways and those already minoritised and disenfranchised, like care‐experienced young people, bore the brunt of losses and mental health difficulties. This article reports on the findings of ‘Feeling Well, Feeling Cared For’ an innovative knowledge exchange project on care experience and mental health in Scotland that was seriously disrupted by the pandemic. The article explores how …
Identifying core measures to be used in mental health research with care experienced young people
Adult Safeguarding Observed
Journal Article Adult Safeguarding Observed: How Social Workers Assess and Manage Risk and Uncertainty, Jeremy Dixon Get access Adult Safeguarding Observed: How Social Workers Assess and Manage Risk and Uncertainty, Jeremy Dixon, Bristol, Policy Press, 2023, pp. 152, ISBN9781447357292 (pbk), £14.99 Pearse McCusker Pearse McCusker Senior Lecturer in Social Work, University of Edinburgh, UK [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4026-…
Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care with Social Work Professionals
Social workers are at high risk of work stress and burnout, with the Covid-19 reported to have amplified this risk. The Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-Care programme (MBSWSC) has been found to support cognitive and emotion regulation of social workers, leading to improved stress, burnout, mental health, and well-being. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aimed to replicate and expand the findings of an earlier RCT of MBSWSC, with a wid…
A randomised trial of Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-Care with social workers
The primary objective of this study was to examine the effects of a bespoke and innovative six-week online Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-Care (MBSWSC) programme on the stress, feelings of burnout, anxiety, depression, and well-being of a sample of social workers. This secondary objective was to examine the effectiveness of MBSWSC at improving a number of potentially important mindfulness-based programme mechanisms of action, including mi…
An agenda for future research regarding the mental health of young people with care experience
Young people who are currently or were previously in state care have consistently been found to have much higher rates of mental health and neurodevelopmental difficulties than the general youth population. While a number of high-quality reviews highlight what research has been undertaken in relation to the mental health of young people with care experience and the gaps in our knowledge and understanding, there is, until now, no consensus, so far…
The Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care Programme
During their social work education, students engage in a number of stressful learning activities, often simultaneously, which can negatively impact their well-being, mental health and social work practice. Mindfulness practices are beginning to be integrated into social work curricula globally to enhance student self-care along with key social work practice skills and values. This mixed methods study examined the effects of a bespoke six-week onl…
Critical Mindfulness in Social Work
This article reports on one aspect of a study investigating mindfulness in social work education and practice. Specifically, it explores its potential as a reflexive form of self-care in the journey from student to newly qualified social worker. Comprising a participatory action research approach, longitudinal qualitative design and bespoke mindfulness programme that included compassion-based and non-violent communication practices, the study tra…
Implementing the Learning from the Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-care Programme to Social Work Student Practice during Covid-19
This is the first study which has explored how social work students have applied the learning from a bespoke Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care (MBSWSC) programme to their social work practice. A qualitative research design was chosen, and a realist ontological position taken. The qualitative data were collected from reflective journals from seven social work students on placement who had completed the MBSWSC programme. An inductive them…
Exploring the Potential Mechanisms of Action of the Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-care Programme
The mindfulness-based social work and self-care (MBSWSC) programme was created in order to support social work students and practitioners to develop enhanced social work and self-care skills. This programme was found to improve feelings of stress, anxiety, mental well-being and burnout of thirty social work students. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was chosen in order to generate a comprehensive understanding of what the potential …
An Exploratory Survey of Mental Health Social Work in Europe
This article reports on an exploratory study comparing mental health social work (MHSW) in Europe. There has been very limited previous research comparing approaches to MHSW in Europe and so the aim of the study was to develop a better understanding of the similarities and differences between and, where relevant, within countries (referred to as jurisdictions). An online survey was distributed mainly through existing European networks and social …
“It's about how much we can do, and not how little we can get away with”
A Hidden Dynamic
Informed by literature identifying the role of fear in decision making processes, the study upon which this paper is based sought to explore Mental Health Officers’ (MHOs) experiences of fear and whether this influences their decisions to use powers of compulsory detention under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act (Scottish Government 2003). Semi-structured interviews exploring the experience of fear in mental health assessments…
Social Work and Mental Distress
Mental distress is prevalent across all social work contexts, yet social work's relationship with mental health is insufficiently articulated and the contributions practitioners make to this area of practice are under-recognised. This action research study sought to explore and address these concerns from academic, educational and practice perspectives. It was conducted in two parts: beginning with social work students at a Scottish university, f…
The Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care Programme
During their social work education, students engage in a number of stressful learning activities, often simultaneously, which can negatively impact their well-being, mental health and social work practice. Mindfulness practices are beginning to be integrated into social work curricula globally to enhance student self-care along with key social work practice skills and values. This mixed methods study examined the effects of a bespoke six-week onl…
Social Work and Mental Distress
Mental distress is prevalent across all social work contexts, yet social work's relationship with mental health is insufficiently articulated and the contributions practitioners make to this area of practice are under-recognised. This action research study sought to explore and address these concerns from academic, educational and practice perspectives. It was conducted in two parts: beginning with social work students at a Scottish university, f…
Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care with Social Work Professionals
Social workers are at high risk of work stress and burnout, with the Covid-19 reported to have amplified this risk. The Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-Care programme (MBSWSC) has been found to support cognitive and emotion regulation of social workers, leading to improved stress, burnout, mental health, and well-being. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aimed to replicate and expand the findings of an earlier RCT of MBSWSC, with a wid…
An agenda for future research regarding the mental health of young people with care experience
Young people who are currently or were previously in state care have consistently been found to have much higher rates of mental health and neurodevelopmental difficulties than the general youth population. While a number of high-quality reviews highlight what research has been undertaken in relation to the mental health of young people with care experience and the gaps in our knowledge and understanding, there is, until now, no consensus, so far…
Critical Mindfulness in Social Work
This article reports on one aspect of a study investigating mindfulness in social work education and practice. Specifically, it explores its potential as a reflexive form of self-care in the journey from student to newly qualified social worker. Comprising a participatory action research approach, longitudinal qualitative design and bespoke mindfulness programme that included compassion-based and non-violent communication practices, the study tra…
Implementing the Learning from the Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-care Programme to Social Work Student Practice during Covid-19
This is the first study which has explored how social work students have applied the learning from a bespoke Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care (MBSWSC) programme to their social work practice. A qualitative research design was chosen, and a realist ontological position taken. The qualitative data were collected from reflective journals from seven social work students on placement who had completed the MBSWSC programme. An inductive them…
A Hidden Dynamic
Informed by literature identifying the role of fear in decision making processes, the study upon which this paper is based sought to explore Mental Health Officers’ (MHOs) experiences of fear and whether this influences their decisions to use powers of compulsory detention under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act (Scottish Government 2003). Semi-structured interviews exploring the experience of fear in mental health assessments…
Social Work and Mental Distress
Mental distress is prevalent across all social work contexts, yet social work's relationship with mental health is insufficiently articulated and the contributions practitioners make to this area of practice are under-recognised. This action research study sought to explore and address these concerns from academic, educational and practice perspectives. It was conducted in two parts: beginning with social work students at a Scottish university, f…
“It's about how much we can do, and not how little we can get away with”
A Hidden Dynamic
Informed by literature identifying the role of fear in decision making processes, the study upon which this paper is based sought to explore Mental Health Officers’ (MHOs) experiences of fear and whether this influences their decisions to use powers of compulsory detention under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act (Scottish Government 2003). Semi-structured interviews exploring the experience of fear in mental health assessments…
An Exploratory Survey of Mental Health Social Work in Europe
This article reports on an exploratory study comparing mental health social work (MHSW) in Europe. There has been very limited previous research comparing approaches to MHSW in Europe and so the aim of the study was to develop a better understanding of the similarities and differences between and, where relevant, within countries (referred to as jurisdictions). An online survey was distributed mainly through existing European networks and social …
The Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care Programme
During their social work education, students engage in a number of stressful learning activities, often simultaneously, which can negatively impact their well-being, mental health and social work practice. Mindfulness practices are beginning to be integrated into social work curricula globally to enhance student self-care along with key social work practice skills and values. This mixed methods study examined the effects of a bespoke six-week onl…
Critical Mindfulness in Social Work
This article reports on one aspect of a study investigating mindfulness in social work education and practice. Specifically, it explores its potential as a reflexive form of self-care in the journey from student to newly qualified social worker. Comprising a participatory action research approach, longitudinal qualitative design and bespoke mindfulness programme that included compassion-based and non-violent communication practices, the study tra…
Implementing the Learning from the Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-care Programme to Social Work Student Practice during Covid-19
This is the first study which has explored how social work students have applied the learning from a bespoke Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care (MBSWSC) programme to their social work practice. A qualitative research design was chosen, and a realist ontological position taken. The qualitative data were collected from reflective journals from seven social work students on placement who had completed the MBSWSC programme. An inductive them…
Exploring the Potential Mechanisms of Action of the Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-care Programme
The mindfulness-based social work and self-care (MBSWSC) programme was created in order to support social work students and practitioners to develop enhanced social work and self-care skills. This programme was found to improve feelings of stress, anxiety, mental well-being and burnout of thirty social work students. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was chosen in order to generate a comprehensive understanding of what the potential …
A randomised trial of Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-Care with social workers
The primary objective of this study was to examine the effects of a bespoke and innovative six-week online Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-Care (MBSWSC) programme on the stress, feelings of burnout, anxiety, depression, and well-being of a sample of social workers. This secondary objective was to examine the effectiveness of MBSWSC at improving a number of potentially important mindfulness-based programme mechanisms of action, including mi…
An agenda for future research regarding the mental health of young people with care experience
Young people who are currently or were previously in state care have consistently been found to have much higher rates of mental health and neurodevelopmental difficulties than the general youth population. While a number of high-quality reviews highlight what research has been undertaken in relation to the mental health of young people with care experience and the gaps in our knowledge and understanding, there is, until now, no consensus, so far…
Exploring Social Work professionals’ Experiences of the Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care Programme
The evidence for the potential of mindfulness-based programmes to support improved social work practice and self-care is growing. The aim of this focus group study was to explore social workers’ (n = 13) experiences of the Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-care programme (MBSWSC). Thematic analysis highlighted two superordinate themes: benefits to direct social work practice and coping with the social work role. Four subordinate themes highl…
Adult safeguarding legislation
Adult safeguarding legislation is contentious because it seeks to protect 'vulnerable' adults who fall between the borderlands of social care, mental health and mental capacity law. As a new and complex area of law and practice, further research on adult safeguarding legislation is required, in particular to consider it efficacy and human rights implications. Utilising a narrative literature review approach this article explores current research …
Reconceptualising coproduction as activism together
The COVID‐19 pandemic disrupted life across the world in multiple ways and those already minoritised and disenfranchised, like care‐experienced young people, bore the brunt of losses and mental health difficulties. This article reports on the findings of ‘Feeling Well, Feeling Cared For’ an innovative knowledge exchange project on care experience and mental health in Scotland that was seriously disrupted by the pandemic. The article explores how …
Identifying core measures to be used in mental health research with care experienced young people
Adult Safeguarding Observed
Journal Article Adult Safeguarding Observed: How Social Workers Assess and Manage Risk and Uncertainty, Jeremy Dixon Get access Adult Safeguarding Observed: How Social Workers Assess and Manage Risk and Uncertainty, Jeremy Dixon, Bristol, Policy Press, 2023, pp. 152, ISBN9781447357292 (pbk), £14.99 Pearse McCusker Pearse McCusker Senior Lecturer in Social Work, University of Edinburgh, UK [email protected] https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4026-…
Mindfulness-Based Social Work and Self-Care with Social Work Professionals
Social workers are at high risk of work stress and burnout, with the Covid-19 reported to have amplified this risk. The Mindfulness-based Social Work and Self-Care programme (MBSWSC) has been found to support cognitive and emotion regulation of social workers, leading to improved stress, burnout, mental health, and well-being. This randomised controlled trial (RCT) aimed to replicate and expand the findings of an earlier RCT of MBSWSC, with a wid…
Social workers’ views and experiences of self-care practices
Self-care is increasingly advocated as necessary for improving social workers’ wellbeing. However, it remains a contested term, with limited understanding of social workers’ views and experiences of what it constitutes in practice. This qualitative study employed semi-structured interviews with nine social workers from three local authorities in Scotland. Informed by vulnerability theory, a six-phase thematic analysis was applied to explore socia…
Feeling well, feeling cared for? Using participatory and arts-engaged research to improve understanding and professional responses to the mental health needs of care-experienced young people
Care-experienced young people face significant levels of mental distress yet the nature and lived reality of this is poorly understood and undermines the degree to which professional caregivers can provide effective support. This is exacerbated by the lack of ‘voice’ and control care-experienced young people have as active producers of knowledge through research. Using a small-scale, knowledge exchange project, we sought to address these concerns…
Self-care in social work
In recent years, the self-care of social workers has become a focus for research and practice in recognition of the demands of the social work role. As part of a research project to explore ways to embed self-care into a social work degree programme at a Scottish university, a narrative literature review was undertaken to examine existing research on self-care for social work students and practitioners. This article reports on the findings from t…
A Systematic Review of Dimensional and Categorical Models of Grief Related Disorders
Psychology (17 works) · Medicine (12 works) · Social Psychology (11 works) · Mental health (10 works) · Political science (10 works) · Social Work (10 works) · Sociology (9 works) · Nursing (8 works) · Psychiatry (8 works) · Psychotherapist (8 works)