Burnout has a historic and disproportionate impact on social workers and is one important contributor to the ongoing health and behavioral health workforce crisis in the United States. Little is known, however, about soc...Burnout has a historic and disproportionate impact on social workers and is one important contributor to the ongoing health and behavioral health workforce crisis in the United States. Little is known, however, about social workers' experiences of burnout and their perceptions of factors that contribute to burnout since the COVID-19 pandemic. This study sought to explore this by answering the following research questions: (a) To what extent are social workers in South Carolina experiencing burnout? and (b) What do South Carolina social workers view as the top reasons for burnout in their professional role? Seventy social work practitioners and leaders from South Carolina completed an online survey during Fall 2022 that included the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and an open-ended question focused on identifying their perceptions of the top three reasons for burnout in the profession. Findings suggest that social workers in this study are experiencing moderate levels of burnout since the COVID-19 pandemic and report primarily organizational (83 percent) contributors to burnout. They also identified individual (36 percent), systemic (29 percent), and interpersonal (27 percent) contributors to burnout. Implications are discussed related to policy and practice responses to prevent and address burnout among social workers.
This article explores the impact of recent incidents of anti-Asian hate and violence against Asian American social workers, clients, and communities. Asian Americans represent a small but growing proportion of the U.S. p...This article explores the impact of recent incidents of anti-Asian hate and violence against Asian American social workers, clients, and communities. Asian Americans represent a small but growing proportion of the U.S. population. Yet, Asians are underrepresented in the social work profession-approximately 3.6 percent of the social work workforce and 2.1 percent of licensed social workers are Asian, and data on underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in the workforce continue to omit details on Asian people. Recent social and political framing of the COVID-19 pandemic as attributable to Asian people has fueled racist rhetoric and incidents of hate and bias crimes against Asian people. Through exploratory research to understand the experiences of Asian American social workers in the proliferation of anti-Asian hate, authors identified that more should be done to support and meet the needs of Asian American social workers, clients, and communities by improving social work education and training, by addressing the social work workforce and agency practices, and by expanding upon advocacy and community building.
This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a guided online mindfulness-based intervention (iMBI) for community residents experiencing emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. In a randomized controll...This study aimed to assess the efficacy of a guided online mindfulness-based intervention (iMBI) for community residents experiencing emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong. In a randomized controlled trial, 64 participants were recruited from collaborating community-based mental health service units in Hong Kong and assigned to either the treatment (n = 32) or control (n = 32) groups. The treatment group received a guided iMBI consisting of 16 online modules, weekly telephone counseling, and two half-day online workshops on mindfulness practice. In contrast, the waitlist control group did not receive any intervention during the initial stage. Using a 2 (two groups) × time (pre versus post) repeated measures linear mixed model and one-way analysis of variance, authors demonstrated that the treatment group experienced a significantly larger reduction in anxiety and depressive symptoms with a large effect size compared with the control group. Additionally, the treatment group showed a significantly greater improvement in mindfulness with a moderate effect size. The findings support the effectiveness of guided iMBI for community residents experiencing emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic in Hong Kong.
Despite the growing size of the American Muslim community, little research exists on the provision of culturally relevant services to members of this population. The purpose of this study was to identify American Muslims...Despite the growing size of the American Muslim community, little research exists on the provision of culturally relevant services to members of this population. The purpose of this study was to identify American Muslims' perceptions regarding what practitioners should know about Muslims and Islamic culture to provide successful mental health services to members of this community. To conduct this study, a purposive snowball sampling method was employed to obtain a national sample of community-dwelling American Muslims (N = 213). Qualitative analysis identified eight interlaced themes, which can be summarized as follows: (1) know basic Islamic beliefs, (2) recognize intragroup ethnic/cultural differences, (3) develop self-awareness of personal biases, (4) respect Islamic gender roles, (5) avoid making assumptions, (6) use Islamic beliefs/practices as strengths, (7) understand bias in the larger secular culture, and (8) consult with Muslim therapists/Imams. The findings equip practitioners with the information they need to provide effective, culturally relevant services to members of the unique American Muslim community from a posture of respect and cultural humility.
Social work has made significant strides in providing mental health services. However, advancement in mental health practices grounded in social work values, such as trauma-informed care and cultural humility mental heal...Social work has made significant strides in providing mental health services. However, advancement in mental health practices grounded in social work values, such as trauma-informed care and cultural humility mental health practice (CHMHP), is still lacking. One possible reason is that many strategies overlook clients' historical contexts, particularly the collective history held by the community to which the client belongs. By centering "history" in social work practices, clinical social workers can be more equipped to provide high-quality, client-centered services. This article advocates for adopting trauma-informed CHMHP as a critical strategy to elevate history in clinical social work practice and proposes that trauma-informed CHMHP can improve mental health service quality among clients of color who are profoundly disrupted by historical trauma. Specifically, this article proposes that using trauma-informed CHMHP to address historical trauma can enhance mental health treatment outcomes and experiences for African American women. Clinical social workers trained to address these interconnected issues can help reduce disparities in quality treatment access.
Pets are likely to be present in as many as 70 percent of domestic and family violence (DFV) cases, and the bond between victim-survivors and their animals can be particularly strong. Animals can also be victims of DFV,...Pets are likely to be present in as many as 70 percent of domestic and family violence (DFV) cases, and the bond between victim-survivors and their animals can be particularly strong. Animals can also be victims of DFV, and concern for their animal's safety can cause victims to delay leaving their abusive situations. Programs like the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals New South Wales Domestic Violence Program, which provide temporary accommodation for pets, can enable victim-survivors and their children to plan their escape and access safety. This article evaluated the program using social return on investment methodology. Evidence on outcomes experienced by three stakeholder groups were collected from 15 stakeholder interviews and 37 program client questionnaires. Concern for their animals had caused 54 percent of clients to delay leaving their abusive situation, most for six months or more. Program clients, their children, and their animals experienced improved safety, mental health and well-being, and physical health because of the program. The alternative described by clients was often homelessness or living in their car. In total an estimated AUD$9.65 of social value was created for every AUD$1 invested into the program.
The Mass Incarceration Trauma (MIT) framework is a conceptual model for understanding the role of trauma in the lives of individuals who experience incarceration in the United States. This population faces poverty, viole...The Mass Incarceration Trauma (MIT) framework is a conceptual model for understanding the role of trauma in the lives of individuals who experience incarceration in the United States. This population faces poverty, violence, and discrimination across the life span. The MIT framework is guided by an ecological systems perspective, a foundational theoretical approach in social work that recognizes that effective assessment and intervention require an understanding of the complex contexts in which individuals live. The MIT framework presents the cumulative trauma exposures commonly faced by this population before, during, and after incarceration at the individual, social, environmental, and historical levels. Because traumatic stress undermines health and daily functioning, it is essential that interventions for this population address both the ongoing risk for trauma exposure and the consequences of multiple, repeated past exposures across ecological systems. It is to be hoped that a new and fundamental focus on the poverty, contexts of violence, and lifetime disadvantages experienced by those who cycle through prisons in the United States might reframe the question of how our society should prevent and respond to crime as well as respond to those swept into the criminal justice system.
A study was conducted on how emotional intelligence and compassion fatigue (CF) interact in social workers. The hypothesis was that social workers with higher emotional intelligence were less likely to suffer/develop CF....A study was conducted on how emotional intelligence and compassion fatigue (CF) interact in social workers. The hypothesis was that social workers with higher emotional intelligence were less likely to suffer/develop CF. A sample of 264 subjects was selected from among 2,014 active social workers in Seville (Spain). They were administered a sociodemographic questionnaire (α = .710), the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (α = .790), and the Compassion Fatigue Scale (α = .770). Authors carried out a reliability analysis (Cronbach's alpha), a frequency study, contingency tables, a Pearson-type correlations analysis, a linear regression analysis, and analysis of variance-type significance tests (with values between p = .001 and p = .005). The social workers who participated in this study presented high emotional intelligence, yet high rates of CF were found. Specifically, the lower the social worker's manifest level of emotional intelligence, the greater the suffering of CF. Overall, social workers with higher emotional intelligence were less likely to suffer or develop CF.
There is a persistent disconnect between research and practice, both in the social work profession as well as in the criminal legal system. Community-engaged research has been suggested as an approach to bridge this divi...There is a persistent disconnect between research and practice, both in the social work profession as well as in the criminal legal system. Community-engaged research has been suggested as an approach to bridge this divide, but specific tools are needed to integrate research and practice efforts. This article presents three distinct logic model development processes that occurred in collaborative research and practice efforts in the context of criminal legal programming, including prosecutor-led diversion programs, a high-intensity drug court, and a multiagency justice and mental health collaborative. Logic model development incorporated multiple forms of program information using collaborative reflexivity, an approach focused on understanding the relationship between knowledge and power in the research process. For each program, the authors describe the context and process of logic model development, and how the logic models were used by both practitioners and researchers. The authors discuss how collaborative logic model development can facilitate community-engaged research, strengthen the research-practice connection, and advance applied social work scholarship.
Low-income, underrepresented communities of color are disproportionally affected by emotional distress. Little is known about malleable, household-level determinants of emotional distress, addressable by feasible, stigma...Low-income, underrepresented communities of color are disproportionally affected by emotional distress. Little is known about malleable, household-level determinants of emotional distress, addressable by feasible, stigma-neutral interventions. The present study addressed this knowledge gap by analyzing secondary data from a cross-sectional community needs assessment survey in a marginalized urban community (N = 677). Relying on dominance analyses, authors found that, on average, the largest household-level contributions to respondents' emotional distress included exposures to fellow household members' alcohol use and anger-driven behaviors. Both determinants are arguably feasible to address via household-level interventions and community-level preventive efforts. Household members' physical and serious mental illness and drug use were moderately associated with respondents' emotional distress; household cohesion and communications, residential overcrowding, and child behavior played a minimal role. Article concludes with a discussion of public health implications of the results.
Social work turnover from the emotional overload of providing care during the pandemic has created staff shortages and exposed many gaps in service delivery. Those social workers who sustained employment during this pand...Social work turnover from the emotional overload of providing care during the pandemic has created staff shortages and exposed many gaps in service delivery. Those social workers who sustained employment during this pandemic are asked to take on flexible/additional roles to fill in those gaps in services to their most vulnerable clients. This qualitative study (N = 12) of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) inpatient social workers at two sites across the country assesses their experiences of taking on additional roles at their respective VA facility. Three research questions were addressed to the participants: (1) Describe your roles and responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic? (2) How did those responsibilities change/evolve over time? and (3) Did you receive training for your new roles or tasks? Thematic analysis revealed six themes that would facilitate effectiveness and continuity of care: (1) recognizing insufficient training to handle a pandemic, (2) meeting the demand for care, (3) responding to unexpected aspects of flexibility, (4) adjusting to new roles over time, (5) adaptation and support, and (6) additional resources to simplify efforts. With COVID rates stabilizing across much of the United States, now is the time to implement trainings and education about job flexibility in the future instance of a pandemic.
Extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), which allow for the temporary restriction of firearm access for individuals at substantial risk of harming themselves and/or others, are a promising policy tool to address increasi...Extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs), which allow for the temporary restriction of firearm access for individuals at substantial risk of harming themselves and/or others, are a promising policy tool to address increasing rates of firearm-related suicide, homicide, and mass shootings. Social workers frequently assess clients at risk of firearm-related harm, positioning social workers to play a key role in ERPO implementation. This study sought to understand social workers' perspectives on ERPOs. Authors invited 6,910 licensed social workers in Washington state to participate in a survey in May and June of 2021 about facilitators and barriers to their willingness to counsel clients' family members, contact law enforcement, or independently file ERPOs for clients at risk of harm to self (HTS) or others (HTO). Of the 1,381 survey participants, most were willing to counsel (96 percent for HTS; 96 percent HTO), contact law enforcement (84 percent for HTS; 87 percent for HTO), or independently file an ERPO (78 percent for HTS; 79 percent for HTO). Common barriers associated with willingness were lack of understanding about the ERPO process and concerns with involving the legal system/law enforcement. Key facilitators included training social workers about ERPOs and availability of legal experts for consultations. Social workers are willing to incorporate ERPOs into their practice for clients, but remaining barriers need to be addressed to support the practice.
In recent years, social workers have paid increased attention to ethical issues. The profession's literature has burgeoned on topics such as ethical dilemmas in social work practice, ethical decision making, boundary iss...In recent years, social workers have paid increased attention to ethical issues. The profession's literature has burgeoned on topics such as ethical dilemmas in social work practice, ethical decision making, boundary issues and dual relationships, ethics-related risk management, and moral injury. This noteworthy trend builds on social work's rich and long-standing commitment to the development of core values and ethical standards evident throughout its history. Unlike allied human service and behavioral health professions, social work's ethics-related literature has not focused on the critically important issue of moral disengagement. Moral disengagement is typically defined as the process whereby individuals convince themselves that ethical standards do not apply to them. In social work, moral disengagement can lead to ethics violations and practitioner liability, particularly when social workers believe that they are not beholden to widely embraced ethical standards in the profession. The purpose of this article is to explore the nature of moral disengagement in social work, identify possible causes and consequences, and present meaningful strategies designed to prevent and respond to moral disengagement in the profession.
In the United States, abortion is safe and common, but highly stigmatized and frequently targeted by legislation that aims to restrict access. Numerous obstacles impede access to abortion care, including logistical barri...In the United States, abortion is safe and common, but highly stigmatized and frequently targeted by legislation that aims to restrict access. Numerous obstacles impede access to abortion care, including logistical barriers like cost and transportation, limited clinic availability, and state-mandated waiting periods. Accurate abortion information can also be hard to access. To overcome these barriers, many people seeking abortion turn to anonymous online forums, including Reddit, for information and support. Examining this community provides a unique perspective on the questions, thoughts, and needs of people considering or undergoing an abortion. The authors web scraped 250 posts from subreddits that contain abortion-related posts, then coded deidentified posts using a combined deductive/inductive approach. The authors identified a subset of these codes in which users were giving/seeking information and advice on Reddit, then engaged in a targeted analysis of the needs expressed in these posts. Three interconnected needs emerged: (1) need for information, (2) need for emotional support, and (3) need for community around the abortion experience. In this study map the authors reflected these needs onto key social work practice areas and competencies; taken alongside support from social work's governing bodies, this research suggests that social workers would be beneficial additions to the abortion care workforce.
On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, concluding that the Constitution of the United States does not confer a right to abortion. The court's decision in Dobbs immediately introduced chal...On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court voted to overturn Roe v. Wade, concluding that the Constitution of the United States does not confer a right to abortion. The court's decision in Dobbs immediately introduced challenging ethical issues for social workers who serve people who become pregnant. Key questions concern social workers' ability to protect clients' privacy and confidentiality, documentation protocols, and client abandonment. In addition, social workers must be concerned about the possibility that they are at risk of being named in licensing board and ethics complaints, lawsuits, and criminal court indictments because of their work with people who seek abortion-related information and services. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the Dobbs decision; discuss compelling ethical issues facing social workers who work with people who seek reproductive health information and services; present guidelines to assist social workers who face ethical dilemmas related to reproductive health services; and highlight the critical importance of ethics-informed social work advocacy related to reproductive health.
The crisis created by the spread of COVID-19 brought increasing needs and referrals to social welfare services in many countries. However, at the same time, social services suffered from staff cutbacks and service closur...The crisis created by the spread of COVID-19 brought increasing needs and referrals to social welfare services in many countries. However, at the same time, social services suffered from staff cutbacks and service closures, resulting in significant workload increases to address the hardships associated with the pandemic. This article investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Israeli social workers' well-being, using a mixed-methods design with a sample of 2,542 licensed social workers. Findings show that over 70 percent of social workers suffered from at least one health problem related to their work. Path analysis findings indicated that social workers who experienced greater service restrictions reported a greater decrease in job satisfaction and experienced higher levels of stress and work-related problems. Machine learning emotion-detection analysis revealed that the pandemic affected their lives, causing feelings of fear, frustration, and sadness. This article demonstrates how social workers whose work was characterized by greater service restrictions were less satisfied with their jobs, more stressed, and experienced greater job-related health problems, and concludes with a discussion of the implications for social work practice in times of crisis.