The Efficacy of Self-Care for Graduate Students in Professional Psychology: A Meta-Analysis

Many have argued that self-care should play a critical role in graduate training in professional psychology (Bamonti et al., 2014; Barnett & Cooper, 2009; Elman & Forrest, 2007; Norcross & Guy, 2007); however, the existing research on the effectiveness of self-care activities for graduate students has produced somewhat mixed results. The purpose of this review was to use meta-analytic techniques to synthesis the findings from studies examining the relationship between self-care use and positive outcomes for professional psychology graduate students. A systematic search of the literature resulted in 17 studies (containing data from 1,890 participants and 52 different effect sizes) that could be included in the meta-analysis. Using a random effects model, a weighted average effect size of d = 0.77, 95% confidence interval [0.46, 1.08] was found, indicating that those who practiced self-care experienced more benefits than those who did not. Although the overall effect size was found to be robust and stable, a significant degree of heterogeneity between study effect sizes was found, I-2 = 87.98%. The weighted average effect size was moderated by the type of outcome that was assessed, Q(5) = 15.78, p < .01, with larger improvements being observed in the areas of gains (e.g., self-compassion), decreased psychological distress, and life satisfaction, compared to ratings of stress. The weighted average effect size was not found to be moderated by the type of self-care, study design/quality characteristics, or participant characteristics. The results of this meta-analysis have important implications for self-care practice and training in professional psychology.