Practitioners' Risk Exposure to Client Violence: A Test of Gender-Sensitive Case Assignment Among Supervisors

Abstract

Gender has emerged as a risk factor for male social workers exposed to client-related assaults in the workplace. This explanatory study examines the main hypothesis that male social workers are more likely to be assigned adult mental health clients with histories of violence than are female colleagues. This experimental case vignette study solicited a national random sample of National Association of Social Workers (NASW) members (N = 181) who identified mental health as their primary service setting and supervision as their primary practice function. This investigation used gender role theory as a conceptual framework. A mixed-model repeated measure analysis of variance was employed to test the hypotheses. The findings suggest that management practices can contribute to disparate assignment of male exposure of gender disparities of client-related violence among social workers. Implications for practice, management, and policy are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• case assignment and male social workers
• client-related violence
• gender

Acknowledgments

This project was funded by a CDC/National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety Research Grant, No. R03 OHO 7374-01 A1.

Notes

Note: The case vignette booklets include a total of four cases each. The clients' gender in the vignettes were manipulated by changing gender order in the cases. M = male case, F = female case. Because of missing data, the subtotal for each variable may not reflect the total number of returns.

Note: Because of missing data, the subtotal for each variable may not reflect the total number of returns.

Note: SWs = Professional Social workers, LPCs = Licensed Professional Counselors, HSSWs = Human /Social Service Workers, RNs = Registered Nurses, PhDs = Doctorate in Philosophy.