Whether Professional Training Matters: Attitudinal Antecedents to the Turnover Intentions of Social Workers in Guangzhou,China

This study aims to identify whether the professional training of social workers has an effect on the attitudinal antecedents of turnover intention. This study investigated 395 trained and 353 non-trained social workers from the Integrated Family Service Centers in Guangzhou, China. It was found that professional education did not significantly alter the attitudinal antecedents to turnover intention. In both groups, a higher feeling of burnout or a lower level of organizational commitment produced a higher intention of turnover. Furthermore, the significant influences of burnout and organizational commitment were found to be respectively mediated by job satisfaction with professional association or job satisfaction with organizational environment. This study not only provides insights into the stabilization of the emerging workforce of Chinese social workers, but also poses serious questions about social work education.     

The Influence of Professional Identity and the Private Practice Environment: Attitudes of Clinical Social Workers Toward Addressing the Social Support Needs of Clients

This study uses focus groups and follow-up interviews to explore how clinical social workers in private practice settings address the social support needs of their clients. Findings indicate that the social workers understand the importance of addressing these needs; however, because of concerns about status, identity and reimbursement, they tend to avoid case-management-like tasks despite their intrinsic understanding of the social support value of these services. Recommendations for practice follow the discussion of these findings.     

Association of Personal Distress With Burnout,Compassion Fatigue,and Compassion Satisfaction Among Clinical Social Workers

ABSTRACT

Studies of empathy and empathy-related responding show that while some people respond to observing the suffering of another with a prosocial concern and urge to help the suffering person, others have an aversive, avoidant response that is primarily self-focused and aimed toward relieving their own distress rather than helping the other person. This self-focused response, labeled personal distress, is associated with various social and psychological problems. This article discusses the concept of personal distress and describes a study of licensed clinical social workers (n = 171) that examines the relationship of personal distress and three other aspects of the empathy construct with compassion fatigue, burnout, and compassion satisfaction. Results of ordinary least squares multiple regression analyses indicate that the model of empathy components and control variables explain 20% to 23% of the variance in the dependent variables. Personal distress is the only component of the empathy construct with significant associations with the dependent variables. Higher personal distress is associated with higher compassion fatigue and burnout and lower compassion satisfaction among clinical social workers. Implications for future research and for social work education are discussed.     

北京市机关青年工作满意度与价值观的相关性研究

关于此课题的研究目的:调查机关青年工作满意度基本状况及其与价值观的相关关系。研究方法:采用分层抽样方法对机关青年的工作满意度和价值观进行问卷调查。结果表明:机关青年总体工作满意度水平为中等,工作要素中最为满意的是工作环境,最不满意的是工作特征,影响工作满意度的最主要因素是自我能力的发挥和发展相关的要素、工作的物质收获因素。     

Impact of job characteristics on turnover intention and the mediating effects of job satisfaction: experiences of home visiting geriatric care workers in Korea

This study investigated the effects of job characteristics on turnover intention and the mediating effects of job satisfaction. A survey of 317 Korean care workers currently providing in-home elderly care service in the city of Seoul and its suburbs was conducted. The results of multiple regressions and an analysis of mediating effects indicated that role ambiguity and workload had significant effects on turnover intention. In addition, job satisfaction had a mediating effect on the influence of role ambiguity and workload on turnover intention. Finally, theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

工作-家庭冲突、性别角色与工作满意度——基于第三期中国妇女社会地位调查的实证研究

本文使用2010年第三期中国妇女社会地位调查数据,研究了工作-家庭冲突对工作满意度的影响及其性别差异,发现来自工作和家庭两方面的角色压力是引发工作-家庭冲突的主要原因,而且无论是因工作影响家庭,还是因为家庭耽误工作,员工都会对工作表达不满。与男性员工相比,工作压力和家庭压力会使女性员工陷入更为严重的工作-家庭冲突,而且女性员工也更可能因为工作影响家庭而降低对工作的满意度。这些发现不仅为工作-家庭冲突及其相关后果的理论研究提供了丰富的经验证据,还为各级管理人员激励员工士气和提高组织绩效提供了很多实践上的启示。     

Linking Perceived External Prestige and Intentions to Leave the Organization: The Mediating Role of Job Satisfaction and Affective Commitment

ABSTRACT

The present study examines social workers' beliefs about the prestige that outsiders (e.g., patients, suppliers, competitors, and the public) attribute to their organization and the way these beliefs influence the social workers' commitment to the organization they work for, job satisfaction, and turnover intentions (i.e., intentions to leave the organization). We collected two primary data sets (N = 160 and N = 489, respectively) from social workers in nonprofit social service organizations in Israel in 2001 and 2002. In general, the results show that perceived (construed) external prestige results in higher employee commitment and satisfaction, which, in turn, leads to lower levels of intention to leave the organization. The implications of these findings for research on organizational image and employee commitment are discussed, with particular emphasis on social workers in nonprofit social service organizations.     

Job satisfaction of social workers in senior welfare centres in South Korea: the effects of individual,client and organisational factors

This study investigates the individual, client and organisational factors that affect the job satisfaction of social workers employed by senior welfare centres in Korea. The data were collected from 130 social workers in senior welfare centres and subjected to hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The job satisfaction of social workers in senior welfare centres was influenced by their self-efficacy, positive attitude to older adults, their relationships with colleagues, and supervision. Ways to improve the job satisfaction of social workers are discussed.     

Professional and Functional Alternative Social Workers: A Case Study of Malaysia

The objective of this study was to compare “professional” (PW) and “functional alternative” (FA) social workers. The findings suggested that there were no significant differences between PWs and FAs in intervention, evaluation methods, work ethics, and values. The PWs, in clients' eyes, were better at delivering services, while FAs' services were more satisfactory to the clients. While PWs were supposed to be “professional,” FAs were more “professional” than PWs in their performance despite their lack of recognition as “professional social workers”. These critical findings should encourage academics and practitioners for further discussion on conceptual implications of both practices and expand future research.     

The Role of Family in Career Choices among Social Workers in China

Abstract

High turnover rate affects social work workforce development in China. Few empirical studies have been conducted to explore the factors that have influences on turnover intention among Chinese social workers. This study used data from China General Survey on Professional Social Workers to examine the influence of job satisfaction and family attitude on social workers’ career choices. The findings reveal that both job satisfaction and family’ attitude toward the profession have significant effects on social workers’ turnover intention. Family’s support or disapproval of the social work profession has moderate effect on the negative correlation between job satisfaction and turnover intention. The findings could be explained by the familyism culture of Chinese society and unique challenges of professional development experienced by social workers in China. Future studies should consider the influence of family to develop a more comprehensive research framework. Management in social service agencies should help family of social workers to learn and embrace the profession to gain their support of choosing social work as career.     

Social Workers in Turkey: Identifying and Addressing Professional Problems and Concerns

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions of social workers in terms of the occupational problems they experience in the country of Turkey. Using a mixed-methods approach, a survey of 98 social workers was followed by individual interviews with 10 social workers. Utilizing this combined approach, social workers reported several problem areas with the most common concerns being: work execution and working conditions that can impair the delivery of efficient and effective service delivery; limited community awareness of the profession leading to occupational identity concerns; employment setting and expectations that limit the capability of what can be done to assist those in need; and, employment setting difficulties such as long hours, limited wages, and strict requirements that limit creative problem-solving. Suggestions and future practice improvement suggestions are provided.     

The Work Experiences of Social Workers: Factors Impacting Compassion Satisfaction and Workplace Stress

Abstract

In 2015, over 6,000 licensed social workers in 13?US states responded to an online survey regarding perceptions and feelings about their work, as well as numerous personal and practice issues. Specifically, this study examined participants’ levels of compassion satisfaction and workplace stress, and then determined through multivariate analyses what demographic factors, behavioral and physical health problems, practice issues, fields of practice, and workplace environment issues impacted these two variables.

The findings indicate that participants demonstrated high levels of compassion satisfaction, with a wide range of workplace stress levels. Workplace environment issues had the greatest impact on both variables, with social workers’ mental health problems, physical health status, and certain demographic factors such as race also influencing them. Over 82% of respondents expressed agreement that they were glad that they chose social work as a profession. The results appear to demonstrate that despite being a potentially stressful occupation, licensed social workers tend to experience significant emotional satisfaction from their work. On the other hand, the results also highlight the need for further research to determine how to enhance support for social workers in the workplace in order to not only reduce workplace stress, but also to increase compassion satisfaction.     

Social Contexts and Coping Strategies of Foreign Wives in Korea: Using a Conceptual Framework of Social Identity Theory

This study aimed to address the social contexts of Korean society in which diverse social interactions of foreign wives take place and to identify coping strategies to construct positive social identities. Social identities are often reconstructed as a result of dynamic interactions with various situations. Using the conceptual framework of social identity theory, this study attempted to uncover the social contexts that shape foreign wives' social identities. This study, using the qualitative approach, selected nine Filipino and Vietnamese participants who were married to Korean men. The data were collected by in‐depth interviews, a focus group with three Vietnamese participants, field notes, participant observation, and photo documents. In the section on study findings, this study addressed Korean social contexts, in which Korean government has been providing a variety of multicultural policies and services for helping foreign wives successfully adapt to Korea. This study also found various forms of stereotypes and discrimination against foreign wives and presented their discrimination experiences. Diverse ways to cope with such negative experiences are presented in the last section. Given the findings, the researcher suggests that policies and programs should promote foreign wives' integration in Korean society.     

实用专业主义:广州市家庭综合服务中心社会工作者“专业能力”的界定及其逻辑

本研究的目的是找出中国社会工作者专业能力体系及其背后的判定逻辑。本研究运用“模糊德尔菲法”的设计,让广东省高校教育界和实务界的专家参考英格兰、美国和中国香港地区的专业能力,选择其中他们认为对广州市家庭综合服务中心社会工作者重要的指标。结果显示,共有价值伦理、理论知识和实务技巧等3个层面,合计24项能力指标被纳入本地的能力体系。经过分析这些专家判定逻辑,本研究还发现该能力体系存在“实用专业主义”的倾向,包括“犬儒思想”“去政治化”和“技术化”等特征。     

The Role of Assertiveness in Clarifying Roles and Strengthening Job Satisfaction of Social Workers in Multidisciplinary Mental Health Settings

Correspondence to Dr Claire Rabin, Tel Aviv University, Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Ramat Aviv, 69 978, Tel Aviv, POB 390470, Israel. Summary Eighty-seven social workers, working in nine different mentalhealth settings, were administered four questionnaires tappingthe following variables: assertiveness in daily life; assertivenessin the job setting; role clarity; and job satisfaction. Stepwiseregression analysis showed assertiveness in the job settingto be strongly correlated with role clarity. Assertiveness indaily life was also significantly correlated with role clarity.Assertiveness in the work setting was significantly correlatedwith job satisfaction, although it was riot as powerful a predictorof satisfaction as of role clarity. Number of years of job experiencewas the most powerful predictor of job satisfaction. The implications for social work training and supervision aredescribed in light of the importance of assertive communicationin maintaining job clarity and job satisfaction within multidisciplinarysettings.     

Job stress,daily stress,and depressive symptoms among low-wage workers in Korea: the role of resilience

This study examined the effects of job stress and daily stress on depressive symptoms and the role of resilience as a moderator among low-wage workers in South Korea. Using purposive sampling, we analysed 254 low-wage workers of private-sector organisations in Seoul and Gyeong-gi province. Results indicated that age, self-rated health, job stress, and daily stress were significant predictors of depressive symptoms, and the moderating effect of resilience was significant only for the relationship between daily stress and depressive symptoms. Findings suggest the significance of using different approaches to manage job stress and daily stress, which in turn will affect low-wage workers’ mental health.     

我国社会工作专业化、职业化功能及其实现途径

在和谐社会构建中,社会工作具有发挥社会服务、化解社会矛盾、解决社会问题的功能。然而现实中,社会工作的价值基础缺失、专业手段不足、工作内容单一,严重制约着其在社会发展与和谐社会建设中的作用。实现社会工作功能的基本途径在于重塑价值基础、强化专业手段、拓展工作内容。     

Human Motivation and Professional Practice: of Knights, Knaves and Social Workers

Efforts to improve the efficiency and responsiveness of public services by harnessing the self‐interest of professionals in state agencies have been widely debated in the recent literature on welfare state reform. In the context of social services, one way in which British policy‐makers have sought to effect such changes has been through the “new community care” of the 1990 NHS and Community Care Act. Key to this is the concept of care management, in which the identification of needs and the provision of services are separated, purportedly with a view to improving advocacy, choice and quality for service users. This paper uses data from a wide‐ranging qualitative study of access to social care for older people to examine the success of the policy in these terms, with specific reference to its attempts to harness the rational self‐interest of professionals. While care management removes one potential conflict of interests by separating commissioning and provision, the responsibility of social care professionals to comply with organizational priorities conflicts with their role of advocacy for their clients, a tension rendered all the more problematic by the perceived inadequacy of funding. Moreover, the bureaucracy of the care management process itself further negates the approach's supposedly client‐centred ethos.     

Measures of Deprivation and their Meaning in Terms of Social Satisfaction

This paper proposes relative and absolute measures of deprivation using social satisfaction functions. The relative (absolute) measure gives us the amount by which social satisfaction can be increased in proportional (absolute) terms by redistributing incomes equally. We also demonstrate the existence of a relationship between summary indices of deprivation (including the Gini coefficient, the maximin index, the coefficient of variation and their absolute counterparts) and social satisfaction.     

Burnout in Chinese social work: Differential predictability of the components of the Maslach Burnout Inventory

Burnout is a worldwide phenomenon among social welfare workers. This study examined how burnout affects student social workers and professional social workers. It first examined the construct validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory‐General Survey (MBI‐GS) scale, using data from two Chinese samples (848 student social workers and 748 professional social workers). The original three‐factor model was regarded as superior to other competing models. Investigation of the second‐order factor model indicated that exhaustion and cynicism are core components but that personal efficacy is not. The research also revealed the differential predictability of the three subscales of the MBI‐GS. Our expectation that differential patterns of effects could be predicted was largely supported. Professional efficacy plays a key mediating role in the relationship between student social workers’ professional identity and their satisfaction with fieldwork, while social workers’ cynicism is the main mediator in the relationship between their professional identity and turnover intention. Therefore, identifying at‐risk students and professional social workers to undertake appropriate intervention strategies that focus on both their professional identity and different dimensions of burnout may be an effective way to prevent students’ dissatisfaction and reduce social worker turnover.