Role Stress and Depressive Symptoms Amongst Social Workers in China: The Moderating Effects of Social Support

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Li ◽  
Nannan Zhang ◽  
Xuesong He
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Family Support ◽  
Role Stress ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Workplace Support ◽  
Organisational Support ◽  
Worker Support

Abstract This study aims to examine the association between role stress and depressive symptoms, as well as moderating effects of social support on the association between role stress and depressive symptoms. The data come from the baseline survey of the ‘China Social Work Longitudinal Study’ collected in 2019, which contains 5,965 social workers. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Role stress was assessed by using two standardised scales of role conflict (RC) and role ambiguity (RA). Workplace support included organisational support, supervisor support and co-worker support. Family support was measured by assessing family’s attitude towards social work profession. Hierarchical regression analyses were employed. We found that after adjusting for covariates, RC and RA were positively associated with depressive symptoms, whereas co-worker support, organisational support and family support were negatively associated with depressive symptoms. In addition, family support was found to significantly moderate the association between role stress and depressive symptoms. However, workplace support was not found to act as a moderator against the negative effect of role stress on depressive symptoms. Findings demonstrate social service agencies need to make efforts to assist social workers in recognising and utilising any existing social support.

The impact of the institutional environment and experience on social entrepreneurship: a multi-group analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ezlika M. Ghazali ◽  
Dilip S. Mutum ◽  
Haleh Hakim Javadi
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Entrepreneurship ◽  
Work Experience ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Group Analysis ◽  
Social Entrepreneurs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThis study presents a framework for integrating distinct perspectives on social entrepreneurship by combining institutional theory with the social entrepreneurship intention model. The framework assesses the relationships between social support and the perceived feasibility and desirability of social entrepreneurship, the relationships between social support and the institutional environments of social workers, and the moderating role of prior experience of social work and volunteering.Design/methodology/approachThe model was tested using 266 validated responses from an online and paper-based survey distributed among social workers. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyse the data, and multi-group analysis was conducted to examine the moderation effects.FindingsThe findings indicate that experience moderates the relationships between the regulatory and cognitive environments, cognitive environments and social support, and social support and perceived feasibility. Experience negatively moderates the relationship between the normative environment and social support.Practical implicationsActive government involvement in the form of incentives and financial support would encourage the creation of social ventures.Social implicationsEducational programmes are also necessary to help raise awareness and increase the familiarity and knowledge of potential social entrepreneurs.Originality/valueThe study analyses the effects of institutional environmental components, recognised as highly influential on the development of social entrepreneurship, as well as the impact of perceived social support on the antecedents of the perceived desirability and feasibility of social entrepreneurship. It also addresses how social work experience modifies these relationships. Contrary to previous studies, the findings suggest that increasing social work experience isolates entrepreneurs from their environment.

Does Social Support Mediate the Association Between Maltreatment Experiences and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescence

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 203-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonya Negriff ◽  
Julie A. Cederbaum ◽  
Daniel S. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Family Support ◽  
Adolescent Development ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Time Points ◽  
Family Social Support ◽  
Path Models

The current study examined social support as a mediator between maltreatment experiences (number of victimizations, maltreatment types) and depressive symptoms in adolescence. The data came from the first two time points of a longitudinal study of the effects of maltreatment on adolescent development. The enrolled sample were 454 male and females ( n = 303 maltreated, n = 151 comparison) between 9 and 13 years ( M age = 10.82); Time 2 (T2) occurred approximately 1 year after baseline. Maltreatment data came from case records; participants reported on perceived social support and depressive symptoms. Results from path models indicated that depressive symptoms mediated the association between maltreatment experiences (i.e., physical abuse, neglect, and number of maltreatment victimizations) and family social support. There was no evidence that social support functioned as a mediator. This is the first study to find support for depressive symptoms as a mechanism linking maltreatment with decreased perceived family support. These findings point to the importance of assessing mental health and social support simultaneously to understand the functioning of youth with maltreatment histories.

scholarly journals Recenzje/Reviews

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 235-242
Author(s):  
Vincent Helbig ◽  
Beatriz Gonçalves ◽  
Marta Kamińska
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Border Regions ◽  
The Third ◽  
East German ◽  
Unique Approach

In permanently introducing this new section to our periodical, we wish to call the reader’s attention to a unique approach we are consciously taking. In a desire to identify impending foci in our field, we have invited the youngest of our colleagues – MA and PhD candidates in social work – to act as our reviewers. Furthermore, considering the vast multitude of scholarly articles published annually, we have asked our students to primarily focus on this segment which is more likely to reflect the most recent findings. That said, we have not set a strict date range in the hope that our reviewers will freely discover or recover studies which might have been overlooked heretofore. Flack J., Lechevalier A., Wielgohs J. (2013). Cultural Distinction and Example of the “Third East German Generation”, in: A. Lechevalier, J. Wielgohs (eds.), Borders and Border Regions in Europe – Changes, Challenges and Chances. Transcript Verlag, Bielefeld. Reviewed by: Vincent Helbig Collins S. (2008). Statutory Social Workers: Stress, Job Satisfaction, Coping, Social Support and Individual Differences. “The British Journal of Social ork”, 38, 6: 1173–1193. Reviewed by: Beatriz Gonçalves Ferguson H. (2017). How Children Become Invisible in Child Protection Work: Findings from Research into Day-to-Day Social Work Practice, “The ritish Journal of Social Work”, 47, 4 (20170601): 1007–1023. Reviewed by: Marta Kamińska

Impact of Burnout on the Mental Health of Social Workers: Moderating Role of Social Support

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-100
Author(s):  
Umbreen Khizar ◽  
Saira Irfan ◽  
Mehwish Fatima ◽  
Samia Sarwar
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Significant Positive Correlation ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Moderating Role

Burnout is progressively seen as an issue in the field of social work however there is limited knowledge about moderating influence of social support on burnout and the mental health of social workers. The present study intended to explore the impact of burnout on mental health and the connection between burnout and the mental health of social workers. Additionally, it also investigates the moderating effects of social support in this relationship. For the study, 300 subjects (188 males, 112 females) were approached by using the purposive sampling technique. The results of the study revealed that burnout has an impact on mental health and there is a significant positive correlation between burnout and mental health. Findings showed a weak effect of social support on the relationship between burnout and mental health. Moreover, the study revealed no gender differences in burnout, social support, and mental health. The outcomes involve a wide scope of interventions pointed toward advancing mental health among social workers for policymakers.   

Role Stress, Burnout, and Workplace Support Among Newly Recruited Social Workers

2021 ◽  
pp. 104973152098453
Author(s):  
Xiaoqing Tang ◽  
Xiao Li
Keyword(s):  
Social Workers ◽  
Emotional Exhaustion ◽  
Mainland China ◽  
Role Stress ◽  
Personal Accomplishment ◽  
First Year ◽  
Demographic Information ◽  
Workplace Support ◽  
Mediation And Moderation

Purpose: This study examines the mediation and moderation roles of workplace support in the effect of role stress on burnout among newly recruited social workers in mainland China. Method: A total of 1,638 newly recruited social workers, those in their first year of professional employment, are invited as participants to complete a questionnaire package, which includes their demographic information, role stress, workplace support, and Maslach’s Burnout Inventory. Results: Role stress significantly correlates with emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and decreased personal accomplishment of burnout. Workplace support moderates the effects of role stress on three syndromes of burnout. In addition, role stress can lead to burnout by reducing perceptions of workplace support. Conclusions: Workplace support is important in buffering the effect of role stress on burnout. Results suggest interventions on improving workplace support to alleviate role stress and burnout of new social workers would be beneficial.

scholarly journals Two tales of community work

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 9-32
Author(s):  
Håvard Aaslund ◽  
Eelke Pruim
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
The Netherlands ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Organizational Context ◽  
Role Stress ◽  
User Participation ◽  
Welfare States ◽  
Community Based ◽  
The Social ◽  
Dutch Sample

Community-oriented approaches in social work are highlighted in both social work literature and policy documents in post-financial crisis Europe, and in the Nordic welfare states where professionalized bureaucracy, universal benefits and institutionalized social work have been the norm. The aim of this article is to explore social workers’ experiences of role changes in the transition to a more community-oriented approach, characterized by ambulatory work, the facilitation of local resources, multi-disciplinary collaboration and user participation. The empirical data consists of qualitative data from two cases: a political reform in the Netherlands (The Social Support Act), and a user-initialized project in Norway. Ten social workers from nine different organizations were interviewed in the Netherlands, and four social workers from one community-based project in Norway. We analysed these as a multiple case study of a transformation towards community-based practice, but one in which the political and organizational context differs. A common theme was the changing of the roles of the social worker and the subsequent experiences of challenges in different contextual settings. We present our findings under the topics of identity work, differing organizational expectations and role conflicts. Social workers in both the Norwegian and Dutch sample express experiences of multiple roles, vague roles and conflicting roles, with our analysis showing that role stress was common in both cases, regardless of whether the initiative was top-down or bottom-up. Remedying role stress could be a crucial element in processes aiming at user participation, social cohesion, cross-disciplinary cooperation and strengths perspectives.

scholarly journals The Moderating Role of Perceived Social Support on the Relationship between Physical Functional Impairment and Depressive Symptoms among Chinese Nursing Home Elderly in Hong Kong

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
pp. 1017-1026 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sylvia Y. C. L. Kwok ◽  
Dannii Y. L. Yeung ◽  
Annie Chung
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Family Support ◽  
Peer Support ◽  
Functional Impairment ◽  
Perceived Social Support ◽  
Education Level ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Moderating Role

With reference to the stress-buffering model, this study aimed to examine the moderating role of perceived social support (including institutional peer support and family support) on the relationship between physical functional impairment, as a source of stress, and depressive symptoms among Chinese nursing home elderly in Hong Kong. The study used a cross-sectional survey method and convenience sampling. The subjects were recruited from two private nursing homes. A total of 187 elderly (54 males and 133 females) participated in the survey. Interviews were conducted by experienced research assistants. The Geriatric Depression Scale was used to assess depressive symptoms of each participant. Pearson correlational analyses showed that females reported more depressive symptoms than their male counterparts, and a positive relationship was found between education level and depressive symptoms. Perceived institutional peer support was negatively correlated, while physical functional impairment was positively correlated with depressive symptoms. However, there was no significant correlation between perceived family support and depressive symptoms. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that physical functional impairment and perceived institutional peer support were significant predictors of elderly depressive symptoms, while perceived family support was not a significant predictor, after statistically controlling for the influence of gender and education level. Perceived institutional peer support, but not perceived family support, was found to moderate the negative impact of physical functional impairment on elderly depressive symptoms. The theoretical and practical implications of this study were then discussed.

Moderating Effects of Friendship and Family Support on the Association Between Bullying Victimization and Perpetration in Adolescents

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052098550
Author(s):  
Hsing-Ying Ho ◽  
Yi-Lung Chen ◽  
Cheng-Fang Yen
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Family Support ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
School Bullying ◽  
Bullying Victimization ◽  
Cluster Sampling ◽  
Life Questionnaire ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Southern Taiwan ◽  
Linear Regression Modeling

School bullying can cause severe mental health problems for both victims and perpetrators. However, the association between bullying victimization and perpetration has rarely been discussed, and no study has investigated the effects of social support, such as friendship and family support, in moderating this association. Therefore, the authors examined the moderating effects of friendship and family support on the association between bullying victimization and perpetration in adolescents. Data were obtained from the 2009 Project for the Health of Adolescents. Through multistage stratified cluster sampling, 13 junior and 10 senior high schools in southern Taiwan were selected, resulting in a representative sample of 6,445 students from grades 7 to 12. School bullying and family support were examined using the Chinese version of the School Bullying Experience Questionnaire and the Family adaptability, partnership, growth, affection, resolve instrument, respectively. Friendship support was measured using the subscale of the Taiwanese Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adolescents and adolescents’ number of friends, time spent with friends, and friend distributions. Linear regression modeling and the Johnson–Neyman technique were used to examine the moderating effects of friendship and family support on the association between bullying victimization and perpetration. For active bullying, having fun and talkative friends and friends outside school negatively moderated the intensity of the association between bullying victimization and perpetration (regression coefficients: −0.02 to −0.05), whereas, for passive bullying, only friends outside school negatively moderated the intensity of the association (regression coefficient: −0.05). By contrast, some components of friendship support positively moderated the associations. These findings suggest that higher friendship quality and having more friends outside of school attenuate the association between bullying victimization and perpetration in adolescents, thus increasing the understanding of the moderating role that social support play in such associations.

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