ROGERS Edward B., STANFORD Matthew, GARLAND Diana R.
Journal article citation:
Mental Health Religion and Culture, 15(3), 2012, pp.301-313.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
It is understood that families are negatively affected when a member has a mental illness. This study investigated the experiences and values of families caring for a mentally ill loved one within the context of a Christian faith community. Almost 6,000 participants in 24 churches representing four Protestant denominations completed a survey describing their family's stresses, strengths, faith
It is understood that families are negatively affected when a member has a mental illness. This study investigated the experiences and values of families caring for a mentally ill loved one within the context of a Christian faith community. Almost 6,000 participants in 24 churches representing four Protestant denominations completed a survey describing their family's stresses, strengths, faith practices, and desires for assistance from the congregation. Findings showed mental illness in 27% of families, with those families reporting twice as many stressors on average. Families with mental illness present scored lower on measures of family strength and faith practices. Help with mental illness was a priority for those families affected by it, but ignored by others in the congregation. These findings indicate that mental illness is not only prevalent in church communities, but is accompanied by significant distress that often goes unnoticed. The authors concluded that partnerships between mental health providers and congregations may help to raise awareness in the church community.
Subject terms:
mental health problems, religious beliefs, stress, families;
Social Work Education (The International Journal), 31(7), 2012, pp.819-834.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
This study investigated the nature and extent of the demands placed upon social work students during their studies; the support available to them inside and outside the course; their feelings about their work; and their attitudes towards themselves. Participants included 191 social work students from Crete and Athens. Findings revealed that demands from the course were rated higher than demands from financial, family and part-time work responsibilities. Support was obtained from friends, relatives and fellow students while, the lack of support from the course was emphasised. A large number of students often felt exhausted, due to obligations to the course such as essays. On the whole, however, students felt good about what they had accomplished so far and held positive attitudes towards themselves. The need for structured support resources offered within the educational institution was evident and recognised by more than half of the students. Students expressed no intention to quit their studies despite the demands placed upon them.
This study investigated the nature and extent of the demands placed upon social work students during their studies; the support available to them inside and outside the course; their feelings about their work; and their attitudes towards themselves. Participants included 191 social work students from Crete and Athens. Findings revealed that demands from the course were rated higher than demands from financial, family and part-time work responsibilities. Support was obtained from friends, relatives and fellow students while, the lack of support from the course was emphasised. A large number of students often felt exhausted, due to obligations to the course such as essays. On the whole, however, students felt good about what they had accomplished so far and held positive attitudes towards themselves. The need for structured support resources offered within the educational institution was evident and recognised by more than half of the students. Students expressed no intention to quit their studies despite the demands placed upon them.
Subject terms:
social work education, stress, student social workers, attitudes;
Social Work Education (The International Journal), 31(3), 2012, pp.256-268.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
Non-traditional students are adult students, including single parents, and those seeking higher education in preparation for a second career. This study investigated non-traditional student perceptions of social support in the context of a group intervention offered by a graduate program at a university in the southern United States. The intervention aimed to enhance perceptions of social support, as measured by a standardised instrument administered pre and post the group intervention. Participants included full-time first and second year MSW students and second and third year part-time students. A total of 32 students attended the structured group event. Analysis showed no significant differences in pre/post changes in perceptions of social support between intervention and comparison groups. The authors recommended that future interventions for improving non-traditional student retention focus on supporting the development of social support networks among incoming and first-year graduate students.
Non-traditional students are adult students, including single parents, and those seeking higher education in preparation for a second career. This study investigated non-traditional student perceptions of social support in the context of a group intervention offered by a graduate program at a university in the southern United States. The intervention aimed to enhance perceptions of social support, as measured by a standardised instrument administered pre and post the group intervention. Participants included full-time first and second year MSW students and second and third year part-time students. A total of 32 students attended the structured group event. Analysis showed no significant differences in pre/post changes in perceptions of social support between intervention and comparison groups. The authors recommended that future interventions for improving non-traditional student retention focus on supporting the development of social support networks among incoming and first-year graduate students.
Subject terms:
higher education, social work education, stress, student social workers;
Journal of Social Work Education, 48(3), 2012, pp.439-457.
Publisher:
Council on Social Work Education
Social workers can develop feelings of distress and emotional exhaustion as a result of contact with clients and the responsibility of meeting their needs. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of personal attributes on burnout among entering MSW students with prior work experience. Specifically, the study aimed to explore the individual and joint impact of 3 personal attributes: emotional contagion; overidentification; and trait anxiety. The participants were 60 first-year full-time students from 2 MSW programmes on the West Coast of the United States. The participants completed a survey which included the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The results indicate that the participants showed a moderate level of burnout across all 3 domains. The findings imply that burnout depends on personal attributes, rooted in cognitive role-taking levels, and that emotional contagion has a significant role in burnout. Implications for social work education and practice are discussed.
Social workers can develop feelings of distress and emotional exhaustion as a result of contact with clients and the responsibility of meeting their needs. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of personal attributes on burnout among entering MSW students with prior work experience. Specifically, the study aimed to explore the individual and joint impact of 3 personal attributes: emotional contagion; overidentification; and trait anxiety. The participants were 60 first-year full-time students from 2 MSW programmes on the West Coast of the United States. The participants completed a survey which included the Maslach Burnout Inventory. The results indicate that the participants showed a moderate level of burnout across all 3 domains. The findings imply that burnout depends on personal attributes, rooted in cognitive role-taking levels, and that emotional contagion has a significant role in burnout. Implications for social work education and practice are discussed.
Subject terms:
personality, stress, student social workers, emotions;
Administration in Social Work, 36(5), November 2012, pp.457-478.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
The numbers of social workers in Turkey is quite insufficient to meet the needs. Therefore, social workers are likely to face intense workloads and be at risk of experiencing burnout syndrome. The purpose of this study is to examine main effects of workload, role ambiguity, and social support on social workers' burnout in Turkey. A questionnaire was mailed to randomly selected members of the Association of Social Workers in Turkey, and 222 completed responses were returned. The results revealed that workload might predict emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation sub-dimensions of burnout, but not personal accomplishment. Role ambiguity was positively related to emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation, and negatively related to personal accomplishment. In other words, when social workers experience greater role ambiguity, they tend to experience higher levels of burnout. Social support from supervisor decreased emotional exhaustion and increased personal accomplishment, but had no direct effect on depersonalisation of social workers.
The numbers of social workers in Turkey is quite insufficient to meet the needs. Therefore, social workers are likely to face intense workloads and be at risk of experiencing burnout syndrome. The purpose of this study is to examine main effects of workload, role ambiguity, and social support on social workers' burnout in Turkey. A questionnaire was mailed to randomly selected members of the Association of Social Workers in Turkey, and 222 completed responses were returned. The results revealed that workload might predict emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation sub-dimensions of burnout, but not personal accomplishment. Role ambiguity was positively related to emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation, and negatively related to personal accomplishment. In other words, when social workers experience greater role ambiguity, they tend to experience higher levels of burnout. Social support from supervisor decreased emotional exhaustion and increased personal accomplishment, but had no direct effect on depersonalisation of social workers.
Subject terms:
social workers, stress, staff supervision, workload;
British Journal of Psychiatry, 201(3), September 2012, pp.239-246.
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
A questionnaire-based survey (n = 2258) was conducted in 100 wards and 36 community teams in England to examine mental health staff well-being and satisfaction and to explore any associated factors. Measures included indicators of staff morale, and measures of perceived job characteristics based on Karasek’s demand–control–support model. Staff well-being and job satisfaction were fairly good on most indicators, but emotional exhaustion was high among acute general ward and community mental health team (CMHT) staff and among social workers. Most morale indicators were moderately but significantly intercorrelated. Principal components analysis yielded two components, one appearing to reflect emotional strain, the other positive engagement with work. In multilevel regression analyses factors associated with greater emotional strain included working in a CMHT or psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU), high job demands, low autonomy, limited support from managers and colleagues, age under 45 years and junior grade. Greater positive engagement was associated with high job demands, autonomy and support from managers and colleagues, Black or Asian ethnic group, being a psychiatrist or service manager and shorter length of service. The explanatory value of the demand–support–control model was confirmed, but job characteristics did not fully explain differences in morale indicators across service types and professions.
A questionnaire-based survey (n = 2258) was conducted in 100 wards and 36 community teams in England to examine mental health staff well-being and satisfaction and to explore any associated factors. Measures included indicators of staff morale, and measures of perceived job characteristics based on Karasek’s demand–control–support model. Staff well-being and job satisfaction were fairly good on most indicators, but emotional exhaustion was high among acute general ward and community mental health team (CMHT) staff and among social workers. Most morale indicators were moderately but significantly intercorrelated. Principal components analysis yielded two components, one appearing to reflect emotional strain, the other positive engagement with work. In multilevel regression analyses factors associated with greater emotional strain included working in a CMHT or psychiatric intensive care unit (PICU), high job demands, low autonomy, limited support from managers and colleagues, age under 45 years and junior grade. Greater positive engagement was associated with high job demands, autonomy and support from managers and colleagues, Black or Asian ethnic group, being a psychiatrist or service manager and shorter length of service. The explanatory value of the demand–support–control model was confirmed, but job characteristics did not fully explain differences in morale indicators across service types and professions.
Subject terms:
job satisfaction, mental health services, morale, stress;
Social Work Research, 36(1), March 2012, pp.31-39.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Given the high costs of social worker turnover, finding effective strategies to reduce turnover rates has been a great concern in social work settings. Organisational justice, or the perception of staff about fairness in the allocation of resources, awards and punishments, may be a factor that influences intention to leave. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of organisational justice on social workers' intention to leave social service agencies. Specifically, this study concentrated on the moderating effect of organisational justice on the relationship between burnout and intention to leave. A survey was conducted of 218 front-line social workers from 51 social welfare service centres in Korea. Analysis revealed 3 major findings. First, higher levels of burnout of individual social workers corresponded to increased intention to leave. Second, higher levels of organisational justice of social welfare service centres corresponded to decreased intention to leave. Finally, the organisational justice of social welfare service centres moderated the impact of burnout on individual social workers' intention to leave.
Given the high costs of social worker turnover, finding effective strategies to reduce turnover rates has been a great concern in social work settings. Organisational justice, or the perception of staff about fairness in the allocation of resources, awards and punishments, may be a factor that influences intention to leave. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of organisational justice on social workers' intention to leave social service agencies. Specifically, this study concentrated on the moderating effect of organisational justice on the relationship between burnout and intention to leave. A survey was conducted of 218 front-line social workers from 51 social welfare service centres in Korea. Analysis revealed 3 major findings. First, higher levels of burnout of individual social workers corresponded to increased intention to leave. Second, higher levels of organisational justice of social welfare service centres corresponded to decreased intention to leave. Finally, the organisational justice of social welfare service centres moderated the impact of burnout on individual social workers' intention to leave.
Subject terms:
organisational culture, social workers, stress, staff retention;
Research on Social Work Practice, 22(4), July 2012, pp.357-366.
Publisher:
Sage
...participation effects on the parental well-being outcomes of parenting stress, personal mastery, and economic strain. The study participants were 235 parents who decided to join the programme by opening accounts and 146 who did not. Data was collected at baseline and the second wave. The results suggest that there was no significant difference in the meaning as well as the relationship of the outcomes
Universal accounts established at birth and designed to provide structure and support for future asset accumulation and personal development are known as child development accounts or child savings accounts. This paper reports findings from a longitudinal study of the Savings for Education, Entrepreneurship, and Downpayment (SEED) initiative. The aim of the study was to evaluate SEED programme participation effects on the parental well-being outcomes of parenting stress, personal mastery, and economic strain. The study participants were 235 parents who decided to join the programme by opening accounts and 146 who did not. Data was collected at baseline and the second wave. The results suggest that there was no significant difference in the meaning as well as the relationship of the outcomes of parenting stress, personal mastery, and economic strain across time and groups. However, a mean difference was observed between parenting stress at the first and second measurement occasion, suggesting some time effect on this variable. The article concludes that participation in the SEED programme does not negatively affect the well-being of parents. Implications are directed toward practice, policy, and research.
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
This article considers the mental health crisis emerging in the City of London. Anecdotal evidence from media articles and blogs suggests that mental ill health in the City is a significant problem and a growing one. The article argues that the culture in the City environment is psychologically toxic, with a complete disregard for the wider human and social consequences of working there. The focus is on working tremendously long hours and amassing as much wealth as possible. Workers have little or no empathy with each other, and those who can’t keep up risk losing their jobs. Despite this, there appears to be a widespread sense of denial that these mental health problems exist. This culture of denial means that treating such problems and encouraging people to seek help presents a major challenge for mental health practitioners. Furthermore, the mental health practitioners working in this environment see their role as helping their clients to work within such an environment rather than question the culture in which they are working. The article concludes by questioning whether these practitioners may be colluding in sustaining the psychological toxicity of this environment.
This article considers the mental health crisis emerging in the City of London. Anecdotal evidence from media articles and blogs suggests that mental ill health in the City is a significant problem and a growing one. The article argues that the culture in the City environment is psychologically toxic, with a complete disregard for the wider human and social consequences of working there. The focus is on working tremendously long hours and amassing as much wealth as possible. Workers have little or no empathy with each other, and those who can’t keep up risk losing their jobs. Despite this, there appears to be a widespread sense of denial that these mental health problems exist. This culture of denial means that treating such problems and encouraging people to seek help presents a major challenge for mental health practitioners. Furthermore, the mental health practitioners working in this environment see their role as helping their clients to work within such an environment rather than question the culture in which they are working. The article concludes by questioning whether these practitioners may be colluding in sustaining the psychological toxicity of this environment.
Subject terms:
mental health problems, organisational culture, stress;
Journal of Care Services Management, 6(3), 2012, pp.121-130.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
...elicited seven emerging themes. The themes include self-compassion, self-reflection, and emotional intelligence; education, teaching methods, and academic engagement; feeling the suffering of and emotions of patients; the meaning of compassion; work-related stress, burnout, or compassion fatigue; nursing characteristics, gender and cultural differences; and poor communication. The review concludes
(Edited publisher abstract)
A systematic review of the literature was conducted to explore whether compassion can be taught to decrease compassion fatigue and raise healthcare standards within health staff. Searches of a number of electronic databases were conducted, including CINHAL, Pubmed/Medline, PsychINFO for literature published between 2000‐2012. The inclusion/exclusion criteria retrieved 13 papers and critiquing elicited seven emerging themes. The themes include self-compassion, self-reflection, and emotional intelligence; education, teaching methods, and academic engagement; feeling the suffering of and emotions of patients; the meaning of compassion; work-related stress, burnout, or compassion fatigue; nursing characteristics, gender and cultural differences; and poor communication. The review concludes that compassion is a subjective emotion and challenging to define. Educators need innovative ways to evoke emotions in healthcare professionals to enhance compassionate care. Improving communication skills, self-compassion, and self-reflection could determine when compassion is in danger of becoming fatigued.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
empathy, health professionals, stress, education, communication skills;