Objectives: This study reports the prevalence of significant levels of burden amongst caregivers of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), compared to informants of control-participants. Secondly it identifies which factors are associated with significant levels of burden: patient characteristics (including depressive symptoms, cognition and informant ratings of cognitive and behavioural change); caregiver characteristics; or the caregiving context.
Method: Sixty-four participants with MCI, 36 control-participants and their respective caregivers/informants were recruited to a university research clinic. The proportion of those who showed clinically significant levels of burden was determined by a Zarit Burden Interview score of >21. Multivariate analyses were performed to examine the relative contribution of individual variables to burden amongst MCI-caregivers.
Results: Thirty six per cent of MCI-caregivers reported clinically significant levels of burden, twice that of the control informant group. Participant behavioural problems contribute most to burden, with participant depression and possibly cognition also having a significant association.
Conclusion: Caregiver burden is a considerable problem in MCI and shares some of the same characteristics as caregiver burden in dementia, namely a strong association with challenging behaviours in the patient. This has implications for further research and intervention studies.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Objectives: This study reports the prevalence of significant levels of burden amongst caregivers of people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), compared to informants of control-participants. Secondly it identifies which factors are associated with significant levels of burden: patient characteristics (including depressive symptoms, cognition and informant ratings of cognitive and behavioural change); caregiver characteristics; or the caregiving context.
Method: Sixty-four participants with MCI, 36 control-participants and their respective caregivers/informants were recruited to a university research clinic. The proportion of those who showed clinically significant levels of burden was determined by a Zarit Burden Interview score of >21. Multivariate analyses were performed to examine the relative contribution of individual variables to burden amongst MCI-caregivers.
Results: Thirty six per cent of MCI-caregivers reported clinically significant levels of burden, twice that of the control informant group. Participant behavioural problems contribute most to burden, with participant depression and possibly cognition also having a significant association.
Conclusion: Caregiver burden is a considerable problem in MCI and shares some of the same characteristics as caregiver burden in dementia, namely a strong association with challenging behaviours in the patient. This has implications for further research and intervention studies.
(Edited publisher abstract)
British Journal of Social Work, 44(5), 2014, pp.1268-1283.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
The paper examines the contributions to burnout of three day-to-day job stressors: abuse by service users, thwarted implementation of professional decisions and job-related dilemmas. The study participants were 363 social workers employed in direct service provision in municipal welfare departments in Israel. Since some were employed in the Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality and others in municipalities elsewhere in Israel, place of employment was included in the analyses. The findings show that abuse by service users and place of employment contributed to all three of Maslach's dimensions of burnout, while neither thwarted implementation of professional decisions nor job-related dilemmas contributed significantly to any of them. The contribution of client abuse challenges previous findings suggesting that service user factors play little role in burnout. The finding that the Tel Aviv–Yafo social workers had less burnout than the others requires further examination to determine why.
(Edited publisher abstract)
The paper examines the contributions to burnout of three day-to-day job stressors: abuse by service users, thwarted implementation of professional decisions and job-related dilemmas. The study participants were 363 social workers employed in direct service provision in municipal welfare departments in Israel. Since some were employed in the Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality and others in municipalities elsewhere in Israel, place of employment was included in the analyses. The findings show that abuse by service users and place of employment contributed to all three of Maslach's dimensions of burnout, while neither thwarted implementation of professional decisions nor job-related dilemmas contributed significantly to any of them. The contribution of client abuse challenges previous findings suggesting that service user factors play little role in burnout. The finding that the Tel Aviv–Yafo social workers had less burnout than the others requires further examination to determine why.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This qualitative study explored the factors that help counsellors exposed to indirect trauma thrive personally and professionally, and sustain their engagement in trauma counselling work. The existing literature details the challenges of indirect trauma exposure in trauma work. However, the ways in which counsellors are able to derive rewards and maintain their engagement in trauma counselling work are less well recognised. The study used a grounded theory approach, with semistructured interviews conducted with 18 therapists. The study found four main interrelating themes: thriving in trauma work; navigating the empathic journey; empathic stamina and engaging in self-reflexivity; and sustaining interest and commitment. Important factors included attending to both the adverse and rewarding aspects of trauma work, having access to appropriate support structures, and incorporating variability and diversity in the work. This study extends the current understanding of the processes, practices, and strategies that promote the rewarding and sustaining aspects of trauma counselling work.
(Publisher abstract)
This qualitative study explored the factors that help counsellors exposed to indirect trauma thrive personally and professionally, and sustain their engagement in trauma counselling work. The existing literature details the challenges of indirect trauma exposure in trauma work. However, the ways in which counsellors are able to derive rewards and maintain their engagement in trauma counselling work are less well recognised. The study used a grounded theory approach, with semistructured interviews conducted with 18 therapists. The study found four main interrelating themes: thriving in trauma work; navigating the empathic journey; empathic stamina and engaging in self-reflexivity; and sustaining interest and commitment. Important factors included attending to both the adverse and rewarding aspects of trauma work, having access to appropriate support structures, and incorporating variability and diversity in the work. This study extends the current understanding of the processes, practices, and strategies that promote the rewarding and sustaining aspects of trauma counselling work.
(Publisher abstract)
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 27(2), 2014, pp.134-144.
Publisher:
Wiley
Aim: This study explores whether the desire to engage in work that is beneficial to others moderates the effects of stress on burnout.
Method: Based on a survey of 1570 direct support professionals in Ontario, this study conducted linear regression analyses and tested for the interaction effects of prosocial motivation on occupational stress and burnout.
Results: Prosocial motivation...
(Publisher abstract)
Aim: This study explores whether the desire to engage in work that is beneficial to others moderates the effects of stress on burnout.
Method: Based on a survey of 1570 direct support professionals in Ontario, this study conducted linear regression analyses and tested for the interaction effects of prosocial motivation on occupational stress and burnout.
Results: Prosocial motivation significantly moderated the association of emotional exhaustion (EE) and role boundary stress with depersonalization (DP). Prosocial motivation also moderated the effects of role ambiguity stress with a direct support worker's sense of personal accomplishment. In contrast, prosocial motivation magnified feelings of EE when interacted with a sense of personal accomplishment.
Conclusion: Prosocial motivation plays an important role in explaining the relatively low levels of DP in the sector. The study advances our understanding of the key components of burnout among direct support workers.
(Publisher abstract)
Social Work Education (The International Journal), 33(3), 2014, pp.317-337.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
This paper reports on the difficulties and supports experienced by social care practitioners within the educational institution during their transition to higher education. A life transition such as entering higher education causes stress for individuals and social support is essential in successfully dealing with this stress (Anderson et al., 2012). Fifteen social care practitioners were
(Publisher abstract)
This paper reports on the difficulties and supports experienced by social care practitioners within the educational institution during their transition to higher education. A life transition such as entering higher education causes stress for individuals and social support is essential in successfully dealing with this stress (Anderson et al., 2012). Fifteen social care practitioners were interviewed twice during and once at the end of their first academic year in college. Findings indicate that participants were reluctant to approach staff for help despite anxiety about classes and assignments. Discussion and debate in class helped learning and contributed to feelings of being valued. ‘Moving in’ was a slow process with a physical and emotional impact for which they were unprepared. Student peers were a source of emotional and cognitive support but developing relationships took time. By the end of the transition phase participants noted changes and gains in themselves and their work practices. Recommendations are made to aid the transition to higher education for in-service social care practitioners.
(Publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
social care staff, higher education, students, stress;
Journal of Social Work Practice, 28(1), 2014, pp.43-57.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
This paper reports part of a larger exploratory research study of social workers' preferred models of critical incident stress management and experiences of critical incident stress debriefing. Using a qualitative methodology involving in-depth interviews with 13 social workers, participants were asked about their experiences of critical events encountered within their workplaces over the last
(Edited publisher abstract)
This paper reports part of a larger exploratory research study of social workers' preferred models of critical incident stress management and experiences of critical incident stress debriefing. Using a qualitative methodology involving in-depth interviews with 13 social workers, participants were asked about their experiences of critical events encountered within their workplaces over the last five years. Interviews were recorded by audiotape with consent and analysed using thematic analysis. Four main themes emerged: the importance of preparation for critical incidents, the role of relationship between line managers and social workers, specifically the line manager's support immediately after the critical incident, and the availability of peer/colleague networks. An unexpected finding was that social workers interviewed noted that the pre-existing relationship with the line manager influenced their experience of the debriefing process itself. The more engaged and emotionally aware the manager was seen, the more the social worker claimed the debriefing process had been successful from their perspectives. The implications for social workers and their employing agencies are discussed.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
stress, social workers, staff management, managers;
...theory perspective of identity process and the conservation of resources perspective of stress. Self-esteem and social support were also tested as moderators in this curvilinear relationship. Results show that distress increases exponentially as the caregiver identity level increases. In addition, self-esteem (as an internal resource) and social support (as an external resource) both buffer the impact
(Edited publisher abstract)
Recent attention has been given to role-based professional identity dysfunction. Social workers may be particularly vulnerable to develop their identity or sense of self around the role of a caregiver and experience distress as a result. A sample of 213 social workers was used to test a hypothesised curvilinear relationship between their caregiver role identity and distress based on the control theory perspective of identity process and the conservation of resources perspective of stress. Self-esteem and social support were also tested as moderators in this curvilinear relationship. Results show that distress increases exponentially as the caregiver identity level increases. In addition, self-esteem (as an internal resource) and social support (as an external resource) both buffer the impact of caregiver role identity on distress. The authors describe the theoretical contributions to the areas of work role identity and stress, as well as the practical implications for social workers, managers, and educators.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
self-esteem, carers, self-concept, social workers, stress;
EJEM Deborah B., DENTATO Michael P., CLAY Olivio J.
Journal article citation:
Aging and Mental Health, 19(1), 2014, pp.55-62.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Objectives: Previous research widely neglects caregiver emotional stress as a probable contributing factor of depression in older people. Using the life stress paradigm as the theoretical foundation, this study investigates caregiver emotional stress as a chronic life stressor of an elderly care recipient.
Methods: The relationships between caregiver emotional stress and care receiver depressive...
(Edited publisher abstract)
Objectives: Previous research widely neglects caregiver emotional stress as a probable contributing factor of depression in older people. Using the life stress paradigm as the theoretical foundation, this study investigates caregiver emotional stress as a chronic life stressor of an elderly care recipient.
Methods: The relationships between caregiver emotional stress and care receiver depressive symptoms, as well as other social and psychological mediation factors, were investigated using the 2004 wave of the National Long-Term Care Study (NLTCS). The NLTCS is a nationally representative longitudinal study used to identify frail and disabled elderly Medicare recipients living in the United States. The analytic sample of this study included 1340 caregiver–care receiver dyads who were asked a series of questions concerning their mental health (i.e. emotional stress and depressive symptoms), as well as the availability of social and psychological resources.
Results: Overall, the results showed that high levels of emotional stress reported by the caregiver were associated with a higher likelihood of the disabled care receiver reporting depressive symptoms.
Conclusion: The findings of this investigation point to the importance of studying caregivers and care receivers as dyads as the stress associated with the caregiving role affects each member.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work, 29(4), 2014, pp.389-403.
Publisher:
Sage
Findings presented here draw upon 9 months of ethnographic research in three domestic violence service provision facilities as a means to articulate the key elements of social services fatigue, a phenomenon resulting from residents’ need to (1) document progress toward self-sufficiency, (2) use particular language and behaviour in the presence of staff as a means to demonstrate this progress, (3) actively engage with staff and advocate volunteers, at least some of whom are victim-survivors of domestic violence themselves, and (4) quickly learn that these elements constitute conditions of service provision. It concludes by exploring the practical implications of recognising social services fatigue as a problem.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Findings presented here draw upon 9 months of ethnographic research in three domestic violence service provision facilities as a means to articulate the key elements of social services fatigue, a phenomenon resulting from residents’ need to (1) document progress toward self-sufficiency, (2) use particular language and behaviour in the presence of staff as a means to demonstrate this progress, (3) actively engage with staff and advocate volunteers, at least some of whom are victim-survivors of domestic violence themselves, and (4) quickly learn that these elements constitute conditions of service provision. It concludes by exploring the practical implications of recognising social services fatigue as a problem.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
social work, stress, domestic violence, research methods, social care provision;
European Journal of Social Work, 17(5), 2014, pp.672-688.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
This article examines the connection between economic pressures and impaired well-being at work experienced by Finnish statutory social workers. The survey data were collected during the years 2011–2012. The respondents (N = 817) were social workers in statutory social services. The overall response rate was 46.5 and nearly 60% of all Finnish municipalities participated in the study. This study affirms the worrying state of the well-being at work of statutory social workers. Up to 43% of the respondents reported worsening of their work-related well-being during the past two years. On average, they had experienced impaired work-related well-being at least once a month. Nearly 18% reported experiencing this at least a few times a week or even daily. According to the respondents, economic pressures had increased while the opportunities to practice ethically responsible social work had decreased. Increasing demands for efficiency predicted not only impaired work-related well-being directly, but also through decreasing opportunities to do ethically responsible social work. The role of the budget constraints in predicting impaired well-being became meaningful when these constraints were connected to decreasing opportunities to do ethically responsible social work.
(Publisher abstract)
This article examines the connection between economic pressures and impaired well-being at work experienced by Finnish statutory social workers. The survey data were collected during the years 2011–2012. The respondents (N = 817) were social workers in statutory social services. The overall response rate was 46.5 and nearly 60% of all Finnish municipalities participated in the study. This study affirms the worrying state of the well-being at work of statutory social workers. Up to 43% of the respondents reported worsening of their work-related well-being during the past two years. On average, they had experienced impaired work-related well-being at least once a month. Nearly 18% reported experiencing this at least a few times a week or even daily. According to the respondents, economic pressures had increased while the opportunities to practice ethically responsible social work had decreased. Increasing demands for efficiency predicted not only impaired work-related well-being directly, but also through decreasing opportunities to do ethically responsible social work. The role of the budget constraints in predicting impaired well-being became meaningful when these constraints were connected to decreasing opportunities to do ethically responsible social work.
(Publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
social workers, ethics, cutbacks, job satisfaction, stress;