Compassion Satisfaction Among Social Work Practitioners: The Role of Work–Life Balance

Abstract

Previous research has established that social work practitioners are especially vulnerable to work-related psychological distress and burnout due to the high-stress nature of the profession, yet less research has focused on examining factors are associated with social worker retention. Emerging research on compassion satisfaction suggests that this factor could mitigate professional burnout, yet there is a gap in research focusing explicitly on examining compassion satisfaction among social workers. To address this gap in knowledge, this quantitative study collected survey data on practicing social workers who were alumni from a large southeastern university (n?=?120) to examine individual and organizational factors associated with compassion satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses revealed that higher levels of emotional intelligence, perceived work autonomy, and perceived work–life balance were associated with an increase in compassion satisfaction among experienced, licensed social work practitioners. Findings have implications for how social work employers can promote compassion satisfaction through cultivating emotional intelligence among practitioners, allowing social workers autonomy in decision making, and providing supportive work environments. Recommended directions for future research include longitudinal studies with large sample sizes that expound research on compassion satisfaction by examining the role of additional factors, such as client population, job role characteristics, and supervisor support.     

Psychosocial work conditions, unemployment, and generalized trust in other people: A population-based study of psychosocial health determinants

The association between psychosocial work conditions, unemployment, and generalized trust was investigated. The health survey in Skåne is a cross-sectional postal questionnaire study with a 59% participation rate. A total of 5,180 persons that belonged to the work force and the unemployed were included. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the associations between psychosocial factors at work and unemployment, and trust. Psychosocial work conditions were defined by the Karasek–Theorell demand–control/decision latitudes into relaxed, active, passive, and jobstrain. Effects of length of unemployment on trust were analysed. A 38.4% of all men and 42.1% of all women in the workforce have low trust. Men and women in the passive, jobstrain and unemployed categories had significantly higher odds ratios of low trust compared to the relaxed reference group. After multivariate adjustments these patterns remained, except among “passive” men. Psychosocial work conditions and unemployment are associated with trust.     

Occupational burnout and cyberloafing among teachers: Analysis of personality traits,individual and occupational status variables as predictors

One of the phenomena that causes remarkable losses in terms of productivity and cost in organizations is occupational burnout. Burnout is encountered in different occupational groups. However, in professions that are in contact with a large number of people as part of their responsibilities, such as teaching, burnout is a problem that is far more on the foreground. In addition, emotional burnout, which is seen as the first step before occupational burnout, can cause workers to feel insufficient at the point of carrying out tasks related to their duties, leading to behaviour that is out of their fields such as cyberloafing. Addressing this situation in terms of teaching profession, the feeling of inadequacy in educational activities during the course may prevent the teacher from fulfilling any responsibilities while using a device that has internet access. In this context, the aim of this study is to investigate the factors that predict the cyberloafing and burnout levels of teachers working in different fields. This research is a relational research. This research was carried out with the participations of 194 teachers from different branches working in various provinces in Turkey. In this study, a personal information form and three different data collection tools were used. Analysis of the collected data was performed by hierarchical linear multiple regression analysis. The 9 models, created separately with cyberloafing and burnout, were found to be significant in the study. Demographic variables, ICT usage status variables, occupational variables and personality traits were used in these models. Therefore, all the hypotheses included in the research were accepted. As a result of the research, demographic variables were found to be the most important model to predict teachers’ occupational burnout. The most important model explaining teachers’ cyberloafing situations is their ICT usage.     

The Compassion Fatigue Scale: Its Use With Social Workers Following Urban Disaster

OBJECTIVE: The present study has two goals: to assess the difference between secondary trauma and job burnout and to examine the utility of secondary trauma in predicting psychological distress. METHOD: The data come from a survey of social workers (N = 236) living in New York City 20 months following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC). RESULTS: Social workers' involvement in WTC recovery efforts is related to secondary trauma but not burnout. Analyses also reveal that both secondary trauma and burnout are related to psychological distress after controlling for other risk factors. CONCLUSION: This study supports the importance of compassion fatigue as a risk factor for social workers counseling traumatized clients and its association with psychological problems.     

Negative Aspects of Therapy: Client Perceptions of Therapists' Social Influence, Burnout, and Quality of Care

This study investigated the relationships between client perceptions of therapist use of social influence strategies, therapist burnout, and clients' perceptions of the quality of their therapy. Scales were developed to measure personal coercive power, personal reward power, various forms of expert power, and compromise strategies. A scale was also developed to measure clients' perceptions of their therapists' burnout that contained a combination of modified items from the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach & Jackson, 1986) and original items based on stereotypical burnout behaviors. Research participants were 131 undergraduate students at the University of Pittsburgh who reported their experiences as therapy clients. Therapist use of personal coercive influence strategies and certain types of expert influence strategies were negatively associated with clients' perceptions of the quality of their therapy. Therapist use of personal reward influence strategies, compromise, and the therapist's reputation as an expert were positively related to clients' perceptions of the quality of their therapy. Perceived therapist burnout was positively associated with therapist use of personal coercive influence strategies, direct expert influence strategies, and indirect expert influence strategies. The implications of these findings are discussed.     

在理念与现实之间——当代中国法治化进程中体制内法治工作者职业倦怠研究

本文以社会认知论为理论框架,采用量化方法研究了体制内法治工作者的职业倦怠及其影响因素,结果表明,该群体总体上存在较高水平的职业倦怠。进一步的分析表明,法治理念水平、对法治建设前景的信心、实际工作法治化程度等因素均对该群体的职业倦怠影响显著。尤其是三个变量两两之间的交互项偏回归系数在统计上的显著更值得关注,表明理念、期待与现实之间的冲突导致的认知失调和心理落差是引发体制内法治工作者职业倦怠不可忽视的重要因素。本研究从科层体制内部为理解当代中国法治化进程提供了一些线索。     

Predicting Burnout Syndrome in Greek Mental Health Professionals

The aim of the study was to explore predictors of burnout in clinicians working across different mental health settings in Greece. The Maslach & Jackson Inventory (Maslach Burnout Inventory, MBI; Maslach & Jackson, Journal of Organizational Behavior, 1981, 2(2), 99–113) was used to evaluate burnout syndrome and assess the relationship between demographic factors (age, children, education, and job experience) and each sub-factor (emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA)) of the MBI. Results revealed that out of three burnout factors, EE and PA demonstrated one significant predictor each whereas DP showed no significant predictors. In addition, job experience (years in the job) was found to be a significant predictor of EE in clinical staff. Further analysis showed no significant differences across job type for EE, DP, and PA. The findings are discussed with a focus on prevention and coping strategies for clinicians working in mental health settings.     

Factorial Validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) in a Sample of Spanish Social Workers

Burnout has been considered important to understanding the well-being of social workers and the quality of the services they render. Despite the ample international usage of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, its psychometric properties have come into question and alternative models of measuring the inventory have been suggested. The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties and the applicability of a Spanish version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) in an incidental sample of 947 social workers. Three alternative models of the MBI-HSS were tested for the purpose of identifying the most suitable model for measuring burnout in Spain. The confirmatory factor analysis supported the theory that the model of three correlated factors was superior to alternative models of one and two factors. The structure of three factors (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment) and 19 items showed the best adjustment and a suitable internal consistency of the dimensions of the MBI-HSS. These findings demonstrate that the MBI-HSS has validity and reliability acceptable for measuring burnout in social workers, providing valuable information to the managers of social services in order to reduce burnout among social workers. The limitations of the study and recommendations for future investigation are emphasized.     

施受同辞例说

一个词兼具施事、受事两个相对的词义 ,就叫施受同辞 ,造成这一现象的原因有二 :一是词义引申 ,市场交易类动词从整体上体现出朝词义的相对方向引申的规律。二是语法功能的变化 ,动词使动义和被动义的固定是造成施受同辞的极为重要的原因。     

Burnout and Death Anxiety in Hospice Social Workers

Hospice work has been regarded as particularly stressful due to the complexity inherent in the provision of end-of-life care. Burnout and death anxiety are especially relevant to hospice social workers because they regularly function in a high-stress, high-loss environment. The purpose of this study was threefold: to determine the prevalence of burnout and death anxiety among hospice social workers; to examine associations between burnout and death anxiety; and to explore the factors which may contribute to the development of death anxiety and burnout. Participants completed four items: the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), the Death Anxiety Questionnaire (DAQ), a demographic questionnaire, and a set of open-ended questions. Findings indicate that mean scores on the subscales of the MBI-HSS ranged from the low to moderate range and that a strong positive correlation existed between death anxiety and the depersonalization subscale of the MBI. Three key themes emerged from the qualitative data: (a) personal interest in hospice social work developed through a variety of ways; (b) although death anxiety decreased from exposure and understanding of the death process, there was increased death anxiety surrounding working with certain patients; and (c) burnout was primarily related to workload or difficult cases.     

The Influence of Transformational Leadership and Job Burnout on Child Protective Services Case Managers' Commitment and Intent to Quit

ABSTRACT

Job burnout is prevalent in child welfare with turnover rates estimated between 20% and 40% nationwide. Although effective leadership has been shown to facilitate positive job attitudes and low job burnout in many industries, including healthcare organizations, limited research exists examining whether transformational leadership affects job burnout and job attitudes among child protective services (CPS) case managers. Moreover, no research exists examining whether job burnout mediates the relationships between transformational leadership and job attitudes. This study was designed to examine the relationships between transformational leadership, job burnout, and job attitudes among CPS case managers and whether job burnout mediates those relationships. Bass's theory of transformational leadership and Maslach's theory of job burnout provided the theoretical frameworks for this study. In this nonexperimental study, 197 CPS case managers (83% women) participated by completing an online survey. Results indicated that transformational leadership and job burnout correlated with each other and with job attitudes as hypothesized, and job burnout partially mediated the relationships between transformational leadership and the criterion variables. Our findings suggest that child welfare organizations should hire and/or train transformational leaders to reduce job burnout and increase job attitudes among CPS case managers. Directions for future research are discussed.     

The Measurement of Burnout Revisited

Throughout the literature, burnout has been conceptualized as encompassing three dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal accomplishment. Interview and questionnaire data from 95 human service workers examine a conceptual model linking burnout to selected work characteristics and professionalism. Derived from theory and based on factor analysis, multiple-item subscales are established for work characteristics (autonomy, role conflict, role ambiguity and workload), professionalism (job involvement, intrinsic motwation and higher order needs satisfaction) and burnout (the three dimensions). Intercorrelations among the subscales and a path analysis lead to the conclusion that burnout requires reconceptualization theoretically and operationally. Of the three alleged dimensions of burnout, only emotional exhaustion is found to be a valid and reliable measure.     

Social welfare services staff burnout in Cyprus: Who is responsible?

This is the first study to explore among social welfare services staff in Cyprus the main stress factors that lead to burnout. Using focus groups, the study explored and analysed the perceptions of 120 social welfare services staff members. The aim of the focus group meetings was to identify methods that could minimise the risk of employee burnout. The main stressors that participants experienced were: inadequate appreciation from the management, lack of support and guidance, lack of autonomy, complex responsibilities, lack of recognition and respect in their workplace, low self‐confidence, low self‐respect and feelings of rejection. Participants suggested that continuous education and training could reduce work stress; for example, new knowledge, the development of new skills, the improvement of their ability to prioritise tasks and become organised and the improvement of self‐criticism and self‐knowledge.     

转轨时期国有经济退出路径的变迁--由体制内主动退出到体制外被动退出

国有经济的退出路径有两条体制内的主动退出和体制外的被动退出.在转轨时期,国有经济体制内的主动退出面临着重重的壁垒,相对于体制内的主动退出而言,体制外的被动退出是一条最优的路径.体制外被动退出是由国有经济目标函数变化内生决定的,是渐进式改革的必然结果.     

Subtypes of Nonsocial Play and Psychosocial Adjustment in Malaysian Preschool Children

This study examined subtypes of nonsocial play and their relation to psychosocial adjustment in Malaysian preschool children (N = 141, 72 boys, M age = 4.65 years). Confirmatory factor analyses revealed that a three‐factor model that distinguished social reticence, solitary‐active play, and solitary‐passive play fit the data reasonably well, and also fit the data better than the alternative one‐ and two‐factor models. The distinction among the three subtypes of nonsocial play was found for both boys and girls. Controlling for children's age, gender, and parents' education, social reticence was related to teachers' ratings of anxious behavior, unsociability, and peer exclusion. Solitary‐active play was associated with parents' ratings of inattentiveness, child difficultness, and teachers' ratings of hyperactivity–distractibility. Solitary‐passive play was related to teachers' ratings of unsociability. The findings provide support for a multidimensional view of nonsocial play in Malaysian children.     

Passive Smoking and Health Care: Health Perceptions Myth vs. Health Care Reality

Individuals exhibit systematic tendencies to overstate the risks of unlikely lethal events. If the risks of passive smoking are overstated in this manner, and if passive smoking is not harmful to adult health, then passive smoking by adults should have a discernible effect on subjective evaluations of health status, but no corresponding effect on health. This idea is examined empirically below using data from the National Health Interview Surveys. The empirical results can be summarized as follows. Passive smoking is associated with assessments of significantly poorer health. Poorer health assessments are associated with significantly greater medical resource use. However, direct estimates of the effects of passive smoking on health care use indicate no statistical association whatsoever. These results are consistent with a model whereby individuals systematically overestimate the effects of passive smoking on their health and where the short-term effects of passive smoking on adult health care costs are negligible.     

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.     

Vocational education,self‐employment and burnout among Australian workers

We examine the relationship between vocational education and occupational burnout among workers in different forms of employment. Although the self‐employed enjoy higher levels of job autonomy and work‐related satisfaction, we do not know whether they experience lower rates of occupational burnout, and whether vocational education plays a role in this relationship. This latter consideration is important, given that vocational qualifications often lead to self‐employment and prior research demonstrated that formal training may reduce burnout. However, formal education was previously measured in years of schooling, without considering the distinction between academically‐oriented and vocational courses. Therefore, using data from a 2001 national survey of working Australians, we first establish that the self‐employed are significantly less likely to experience burnout. We then demonstrate that some resilience to burnout can be attributed to the attainment of skilled vocational training, net of employment characteristics which are also very important.     

Well-Being and Affective Commitment among Ambulance Volunteers: A Mediational Model of Job Burnout

ABSTRACT

Burnout represents a relevant risk for ambulance volunteers. According to the Job Demands-Resources model, role conflict and social support can be considered as antecedents of burnout which, in turn, may lower affective commitment. This study aims to investigate the relationship between social support, role conflict, and affective commitment, as mediated by job burnout. Survey data were collected from 352 Italian volunteers and analyzed using structural equation modeling methods. Social support was confirmed as a protective factor, and role conflict as an antecedent of burnout which, in turn, decreases affective commitment. The relationship between role conflict and affective commitment is mediated by burnout which, on the contrary, does not mediate the effect of social support on affective commitment. Social support may protect against burnout. Because of its positive effects on a personal and an organizational level, affective commitment may be increased raising levels of supervisor support and reshaping role expectations. It could be useful to carry out future longitudinal studies, in order to confirm the antecedents and effects of job burnout; furthermore, this research should be extended to other ambulance organizations, in order to generalize the results; finally, multi-group analyses would allow to bring out possible differences between paid-staff and volunteers.