Strategies to Mitigate the Effects of Negative Political Rhetoric on Service Providers: A Study in Two Refugee-serving Organizations

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the strategies that staff at two refugee-serving organizations found helpful in mitigating their increased distress from negative political rhetoric aimed at their clients. Results point to the importance of organizational acknowledgment of the distress. Additionally, staff perceived that intentionally focused organizational interventions can mitigate the emotional impacts of negative rhetoric. Finally, strategies employees used to lessen their distress and regain a sense of efficacy included recommitment to the mission, advocacy for refugees among family and friends, strong reliance on religious faith in coping, and an avoidance of the rhetoric by decreasing engagement with news and social media.

KEYWORDS:

• Political rhetoric
• refugees
• human service organization
• social service
• immigrants

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the two human service organizations and their employees who agreed to participate in this study. The first author also thanks Loyola University Chicago for a Faculty Summer Research Award.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).