Social Work Commons^™

Adjustments To Social Work Practice During The Covid-19 Adjustments To Social Work Practice During The Covid-19 Pandemic In North Carolina: Effects On Burnout And Commitment Pandemic In North Carolina: Effects On Burnout And Commitment, Aaron Brown, Jayme E. Walters, Aubrey E. Jones, Lara Cates

Social Work Faculty Publications

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for social workers in the U.S. and abroad has increased. There is demand for more social workers in North Carolina due to ongoing and increasing mental health, substance use disorder, and child welfare needs. COVID-19 has taken a toll on the personal and professional lives of social workers, and research is needed to understand the pandemic’s effects on burnout and commitment among social workers. The present study sought to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the personal and professional lives of social workers practicing in North Carolina and to determine how …

A Phenomenological Study On The Contributors Of Compassion Fatigue With Substance Use Disorder Counselors During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jennifer A. Galvano

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological study aimed to understand the experience of compassion fatigue in substance use counselors in Western New York during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many studies have reviewed burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary trauma and have discussed the outcomes of their unmanaged effects on healthcare professionals. Few have focused directly on the impact that key contributors of compassion fatigue have on substance abuse disorder (SUD) counselors. This qualitative study is designed to support substance abuse counselors’ mental health and well-being. Counselors are exposed to clashing situations such as turnover, larger caseloads, client trauma, regulations, lack of training, lack of understanding of …

Adjustments To Social Work Practice During The Covid-19 Pandemic In North Carolina: Effects On Burnout And Commitment, Aaron R. Brown, Jayme E. Walters, Aubrey E. Jones, Lara Cates

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for social workers in the U.S. and abroad has increased. There is demand for more social workers in North Carolina due to ongoing and increasing mental health, substance use disorder, and child welfare needs. COVID-19 has taken a toll on the personal and professional lives of social workers, and research is needed to understand the pandemic’s effects on burnout and commitment among social workers. The present study sought to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic affected the personal and professional lives of social workers practicing in North Carolina and to determine how …

Qualitative Study Exploring The Risk Factors Of Burnout: Pennsylvania Social Work Professionals In Child Welfare, Nicole Ukaegbu

Social Work Doctoral Dissertations

Burnout is a concern that impacts many professionals in the workplace. This study focused on the risk factors of burnout for social work professionals in Pennsylvania’s child welfare industry. The study was conducted with 10 professionals at children and youth services (CYS) agencies in Pennsylvania, where each of the professionals were interviewed to gain perspective on the problem of burnout. This study used a qualitative approach and was rooted in grounded theory to unravel the findings.

Four risk factor themes, nine risk factor subthemes, and two additional findings themes were generated during the data analysis process. Findings from the 10 …

Exploring Burnout And Work Engagement In The United States Refugee Resettlement Policy-Practice Domain: A Qualitatively Driven Mixed-Method Study., Eva X. Nyerges

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Refugee resettlement workers are crucial actors within refugee resettlement, supporting newcomers’ acculturation into a new society. Little is known about the comprehensive range of organizational characteristics that impact workers’ experiences of burnout and work engagement. This qualitatively driven mixed-method study using Constructivist Grounded Theory analytic techniques aimed to develop a holistic understanding of the organizational elements influencing burnout and work engagement among refugee resettlement workers. Further, the study aimed to illuminate the mechanisms by which job demands and resources influence burnout and work engagement. In-depth qualitative interviews with 22 refugee resettlement workers operating in a southeastern state of the United …

Exploring The Relationship Between Nurse Supervisor’S Servant Leadership Behavior And Nursing Employee’S Self-Assessment Of Engagement And Burnout In Nigeria, Michael Otuwurunne

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Burnout is a problem among workers in Nigeria, especially among nurses (Ozumba, & Alabere, 2019). This study examined whether there was a significant relationship between the employee perception of the servant leadership behaviors of the nurse supervisor and the employee’s self-rating of burnout: exhaustion and disengagement, and servant leadership behaviors of the nurse supervisor, and engagement: vigor, dedication, and absorption. Exhaustion refers to an intensive physical, affective, and cognitive strain while disengagement refers to the distancing of oneself from one’s work, and experiencing negative attitudes toward the work object, work content, or one’s work in general (Demerouti et al., 2001). …

Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants: A Study Of Burnout And Quality Of Life, Lori Light

University Honors Program Senior Projects

This study examines whether flight attendant lifestyles, including commutes, relationships, home life, and seniority, are associated with burnout levels, quality of life, and difficulty detaching from work during time off. Participants were collected through a private Facebook page for Southwest Airlines flight attendants, and responded from varying locations, seniority groups, and demographic categories. It was hypothesized that being employed during the pandemic would indicate higher burnout levels, regardless of whether participants opted to fly during that time. In addition, we proposed that commuting flight attendants that travel to their base by airplane have a lower quality of life and psychological …

Evaluating Community Based Trauma Among Behavioral Health Workers, Leslie M. Santillan Pina

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Due to the national lack of service providers, current providers are experiencing high levels of stress/trauma because of workload, expectations, and the emotional toll these essential jobs have. Monterey County Behavioral Health Bureau is a public government agency that provides mental health services to the community. The purpose of this capstone is to allow clinicians to express the factors that contribute to the stressors of their jobs in hopes of creating change that will alleviate the trauma they experience. This project had three focus group interviews and one key informant interview that gave expected results based on the contributing factors …

The Impact The Job Stress Of A Child Welfare Social Worker Has On The Quality Of Their Relationship With Their Intimate Partner, Nadine Cazares

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The study focused on identifying the impact the job stress of a child welfare social worker has on the quality of their relationship with their intimate partner. The study examined child welfare social workers in a Child Protective Services department in a county in Southern California. The study utilized a positivist paradigm with data gathered through self-administered online surveys. The researcher utilized the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) for the data analysis. The research conducted a correlational analysis, as both the independent variable (job stress) and dependent variable (relationship quality) are interval levels of measurement. The results failed to …

How A Professional Describes Reasons For Working In And Ultimately Leaving The Foster Care Field In The State Of Missouri: A Case Study, Lauren Williams

MSU Graduate Theses

The foster care field continues to have a high turnover rate of the professionals working in the field. While support and work balance are available for some professionals, many face the challenges of heavy workloads, unrealistic expectations, and health sacrifices that lead to many professionals leaving the field. This case study of one former foster care professional’s description of reasons they worked in the field, and reasons they ultimately left the field provides insight of the challenges and support as a foster care professional. The findings of this study are organized into three major themes including “Challenges for Foster Care …

A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis Of Factors Associated With Burnout Among Early Childhood Education And Care Providers, Lee Wells

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Burnout among the early childhood workforce has gained widespread attention in research and policy due to greater awareness of the negative impacts on children, providers, and organizations. Early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers create supportive and nurturing environments that facilitate early learning and development for young children. Accordingly, ECEC providers are the connective tissue between program intentions and outcomes. Despite the critical nature of the field, early childhood providers continue to be underpaid, under-resourced, and undervalued, leading to a high risk of burnout. With turnover rates of ECEC providers higher than ever, the link between burnout and attrition has …

The Impact Of Crisis Intervention Team Training On Correctional Officer Burnout In A Southeastern State Prison, Jennifer L. Boyd

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This dissertation sought to ascertain whether or not Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training could lower burnout in correctional officers (CO) in a Southeastern state prison system. Using an experimental learning theory in a quantitative, quasi-experimental approach, the researcher administered the pre-test and post-test assessments using Maslach Burnout Inventory to CO before CIT and 4-weeks after they completed CIT. The researcher concluded that CIT lowered burnout on CO in all areas of the MBI but was statistically significantly lower for emotional exhaustion and depersonalization.

Oncology Healthcare Professionals’ Mental Health During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Leeat Granek, Ora Nakash

School for Social Work: Faculty Publications

The paper begins by reviewing the literature on oncology healthcare professionals’ (HCP) mental health. We summarize and present the current data on HCP mental health in order to understand the baseline state of oncology HCPs’ mental health status prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. At each juncture, we will discuss the implications of these mental health variables on the personal lives of HCPs, the healthcare system, and patient care. We follow by reviewing the literature on these parameters during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to better understand the impact of COVID-19 on the overall mental health of HCPs working in oncology. …

Burned Out And Unappreciated: Exploring Emotional Support For Certified Nursing Assistants In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Andrea H. Miller

Masters Theses

This qualitative exploratory study involved individual interviews with three certified nursing assistants (CNAs) working for skilled nursing facilities within the West Michigan area. Using semi-structured questions, the researcher asked the CNAs about the different critical incidents (CIs) and job demands they experience. CNAs were also asked about the support resources they currently have through their SNF employer, if those resources are meeting their needs, and if CISM could be a beneficial resource option. Thematic analysis was used to code and interpret the data from the interview to find four main themes: Burnout, Communication, Inconsistency, and Teamwork. Participants identified physical and …

Self Care And Burnout Among Child Welfare Workers During The Coronavirus Pandemic, Stephanie Carranza, Claudia Castillo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The study was designed to explore associations between burnout and self-care practices among child welfare social workers and how they were impacted during the Coronavirus pandemic. The researchers completed a qualitative study with research participants by completing interviews via Zoom. All research participants composed of current and former child welfare social workers. Through the data gathered, the researchers found that there were no associations between burnout and self-care practices during the pandemic. It was concluded that burnout has remained consistent regardless of self-care practices prior and during the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Importance Of Self-Care Among Hospice Social Workers, Lillianna Gomez, Divina Perez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Social workers in general face daily challenges, but social workers in the field of hospice face unique daily stressors. The purpose of this study was to investigate what self-care methods hospice social workers use to combat burnout and compassion fatigue. One hundred hospice social workers were surveyed. Researchers used two scales to measure participants’ current self-care methods and their current quality of life. Researchers used two tailed Pearson test to analyze relationships between self-care and burnout as well as self-care and compassion satisfaction. Researchers also utilized various SPSS tests to analyze the relationship between demographics and self-care method. Participants reported …

Political Skill, Megan Paul

Umbrella Summaries

What is political skill? Political skill refers to “the ability to effectively understand others at work, and to use such knowledge to influence others to act in ways that enhance one’s personal and/or organizational objectives” (Ahearn et al., 2004, p. 311). Unlike organizational politics, which involve selfserving and detrimental behavior, political skill involves positive, sincere, and effective influence (Ferris et al., 2005). The primary measure of political skill is the 18-item Political Skill Inventory, which assesses political skill through four factors: social astuteness, interpersonal influence, networking ability, and apparent sincerity. Example items from each factor, respectively, include “I always seem …

Calling Attention To Campus Trends: Let’S Talk About Wellness, Mandy Magalhaes, Rachel Cullity

The Graduate Review

Abstract

This article explores the emerging focus on self-care and wellness amongst college students. In this article, the authors highlight the cultural shift from the “grind culture,” the complete and exhaustive dedication towards one’s work, to a focus on individual and community well being and how educational institutions are responding to students’ needs (Absher, 2020). Bridgewater State University's current response to student wellness is discussed, with a focus on the School of Social Work’s research efforts, programs and services being implemented, from the voices of graduate students. Self-care and wellness is an emerging conversation occurring in many professions and educational …

Job Satisfaction And Burnout Among Social Workers Providing Services To Veterans, Toni Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social workers have been documented both experiencing job satisfaction with decreased levels of burnout and suffering from high stress and burnout. The job demands-resources (JDR) model was used to guide this study. The purpose of this study was to examine how social workers working with the veteran population describe how their job satisfaction affects their perceptions of burnout. A basic qualitative study design was employed with a purposeful sample of 12 social work participants drawn from multiple facilities that provide services to veterans. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and were analyzed using a thematic coding process, validation through member …

The Impact Of Agency Culture On A Supervisor's Modeling Of Self-Care To Social Workers, Lacey Maxwell Godsby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Supervision is a field standard in which experienced social workers assist other social workers by modeling practical skills and teaching self-care standards. However, an agency's culture has the potential to negatively affect a supervisor’s ability to model self-care to social workers in a mental health setting, which can in turn increase the risk of burnout and the potential for harm to the agency including decreased employee retention, decreased employee satisfaction, and lower quality client care. The purpose of this project was to explore how agency culture affected a supervisor’s ability to model necessary self-care techniques to social work professionals. Another …

The Journey Towards Equilibrium: A Phenomenological Study Of The Master Of Social Work (Msw) Student Experience And Interrole Conflict, Nikol Downing

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the phenomenon of interrole conflict for master level social work (MSW) students in the United States. The two theories guiding this study are role theory and theory of self-care. Role theory allowed a framework for what interrole conflict is and how it impacts individuals who experience it. Understanding role conflict aided in understanding the experience of MSW students during their academic journey. Theory of self- care allowed a framework for understanding how self-care can combat some of the negative results of interrole conflict such as burnout or secondary traumatic stress. This …

Ameliorating Stress And Burnout Among Professionals Who Work With Migrants And Refugees, Mark Lusk, Samuel Terrazas

Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice

Professionals and volunteers who work with refugees and forced migrants experience burnout and secondary stress as a result of exposure to the trauma and adversities confronted by their clients. A pilot project aimed at reducing these problems through the use of group discussion, sharing, guided movement, relaxation techniques, and mindfulness was found to reduce burnout and secondary traumatic stress among participants.

Secondary Traumatic Stress, Burnout And Resilience In The Child Welfare Workforce: Early Results From Nebraska’S Randomized Controlled Trial Of Resilience Alliance, Quality Improvement Center For Workforce Development

Other QIC-WD Products

A 2018 needs assessment indicated that more than 50% of the child welfare workforce in Nebraska was experiencing elevated secondary traumatic stress (STS). STS refers to the experience of people – generally professionals– who are exposed to others’ traumatic events as part of their work. As a result of this exposure, these professionals can develop their own traumatic symptoms and reactions such as sleeplessness and anxiety. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Division of Children and Family Services (DCFS) in partnership with the Quality Improvement Center for Workforce Development (QIC-WD) implemented CFS Strong, a multi-phased workforce intervention …

Professional Quality Of Life Of Mental Health Practitioners Doing Trauma Work, Ashley Larios, Ana Campos Chagolla

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

A practitioner’s reaction to client trauma can have both positive and negative impacts on the individual’s professional quality of life as well as the quality of services provided to the client. Professional quality of life embodies a practitioner’s compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious trauma. While past research has focused on factors that negatively impact professional quality of life, the proposed research aimed to explore what individual and agency factors help to positively increase professional quality of life. The study utilized a mixed methods approach, which included the participants scores on the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) as …

How Does Compassion Fatigue Affect Geriatric Social Workers In Their Personal And Professional Lives?, Nicole Elise Dawson, Joanna Romero Jacobo

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

This study aims to research how compassion fatigue (CF) affects geriatric social workers in their personal and professional lives. Currently, there is little exposure on what the symptoms look like in CF among social workers, especially geriatric social services practitioners. The significance of this study is to address CF and how it may affect social workers in their daily activities. Geriatric social workers who work on a regular basis with vulnerable populations can lead to experience symptoms of CF. These symptoms include: emotional disconnect from their clients, less motivated at work, apathetic towards sensitive situations and affecting their quality of …

Exploring Interventions Related To Caregiver Burnout, Vanessa Leanete Gonzalez, Jakob R. Mccarthy

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

The aging population is rapidly growing within the United States and with advanced age comes an increased likelihood for the need of assistance in completing various activities of daily living. The caregiving literature has thoroughly documented causes and manifestations of caregiver burnout, but there is little mention of interventions for this population. This study utilized a cross-sectional survey of current caregivers to identify sociodemographic factors and descriptive characteristics related to how each respondent fulfills caregiver duties. The survey also measured personal affect, as operationalized by the Negative and Positive Affect Scale (NAPAS) and level of burnout, as measured by the …

Compassion Fatigue In Students Completing Fieldwork, Darcy Walker

Honors Projects

This project was completed for students who are entering or actively completing fieldwork in the helping professions. It includes a pamphlet, annotated bibliography, and reflective essay. The pamphlet includes information on the signs of secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue, as well as ways to prevent and combat them. The annotated bibliography summarizes and analyzes the importance of the sources used to complete the pamphlet. The reflective essay is an honest account of the author's own struggles with secondary traumatic stress and burnout, and the process of combating them while simultaneously completing this project.

Burnout Among Child Protective Services Social Workers In Georgia, Lakeita Arrington-Judkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

CPS (child protective services) social workers are critical to the social service community. Due to the responsibilities of this role, CPS social workers encounter multiple stressors and high demands in the workplace. Burnout is prominent in the social service profession, specifically among CPS social workers. This qualitative action research study was conducted to explore CPS social workers’ experiences of burnout and organizational issues related to those burnout experiences. Maslach’s multidimensional theory on burnout was the theoretical framework. Data collection involved individual interviews facilitated online. The sample consisted of 8 experienced CPS social workers from the Georgia Department of Human Services. …

Compassion Fatigue And Burnout Within A Mental Health Clinic A Constructivist Approach, Leonard Pinto

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Compassion Fatigue and Burnout are two very familiar problems in the field of mental health that can harm both the provider and the client if untreated and left unresolved. Past research efforts have found prevention methods and ways to recover from both problems, from an individualized approach. These issues appear to possibly occur on an organizational or agency level, but very little research has been centered around this. Furthermore, this research has explored the differences to be found in experience across different scopes of practice within a mental health clinic.

From the constructivist approach, this research has gathered quantitative …

Mindfulness And Burnout Among Social Workers, Erick Hernandez

Electronic Theses, Projects, and Dissertations

Burnout is a negative psychological response to workplace stress, and it manifest as emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and a decrease in personal accomplishment. Experiencing burnout leads to physical health problems such as headaches, gastrointestinal issues, and respiratory problems. Social workers have been identified at high risk for developing burnout due to a high number of caseloads, limited supervisory support, and because they often work with clients with complex social situations. Burnout among social workers leads to high turnover rates, negatively impacts the quality of services, and adversely affects therapeutic relationships. Previous studies have examined the efficacy of mindfulness interventions on burnout …