https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5672-257X
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ABSTRACT
The working conditions in which many social workers practice their profession make it very likely that they will experience high strain and burnout and low engagement. Previous research has identified different risk and protective factors of burnout and engagement. This article attempts to: (i) analyse the relationship of burnout and engagement with two job demands (role conflict and role clarity) and three personal resources (recovery experiences, problem-focused coping, and emotion-focused coping); (ii) examine whether these personal resources moderate the association of job demands with burnout and engagement. Participants were 448 Spanish graduate social workers. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that burnout was positively predicted by role conflict and emotion-focused coping, and was negatively predicted by role clarity and recovery experiences; overall, the inverse pattern of results was found for engagement. Furthermore, problem-focused coping and recovery moderated the association of role conflict with burnout; problem-focused coping also moderated the relationship of role conflict with engagement. These findings support individual and organisational interventions that enhance the application of personal resources and the reduction of job demands to lessen burnout and increase engagement.
RESUMEN
Las condiciones laborales en las que muchas/os trabajadoras/es sociales ejercen su profesión hacen muy probable que experimenten en su trabajo estrés y queme elevados y baja implicación. Investigaciones previas han identificado factores de riesgo y protección frente a queme e implicación. Este trabajo intenta: (i) analizar las relaciones del queme y la implicación con demandas laborales (conflicto de rol y claridad de rol) y recursos personales (experiencias de recuperación, afrontamiento centrado-en-el-problema y afrontamiento centrado-en-la-emoción); (ii) examinar si estos recursos personales moderan la asociación de las demandas laborales con el queme y la implicación. Participaron 448 trabajadoras/es sociales españolas/es. Los análisis de regresión jerárquica mostraron que el queme se asoció positivamente a conflicto de rol y afrontamiento centrado-en-la-emoción, y se asoció negativamente a claridad de rol y experiencias de recuperación; en general, resultados inversos se encontraron para la implicación laboral. Además, afrontamiento centrado-en-el-problema y experiencias de recuperación moderaron la asociación entre conflicto de rol y queme; este afrontamiento también moderó la relación entre conflicto de rol e implicación. Los resultados apoyan intervenciones individuales y organizacionales que potencien la aplicación de recursos personales y la disminución de demandas laborales para reducir el queme y elevar la implicación.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Francisco X. Aguiar Fernández
Francisco X. Aguiar Fernández, Degree. Degree in Social Work from the University of Vigo. Degree in Sociology from the University of Coruña. Ph.D. in Social Work from the University of Vigo. Work experience. For more than 12 years, Social Worker in direct individual, family, and community care in the field of Health Social Work (oncology). Since 2012, Professor in the Degree in Social Work of the University of Vigo. Since 2017, he has been the Coordinator of the Degree of Social Work, and since 2018 Vice Dean of Social Work of this Faculty. Lines of research. Social work with individuals, groups, and communities; Social services: Social intervention with family and children; Social health factors; Socio-environmental sustainability.
Xoán M. Lombardero Posada
Xoán M. Lombardero Posada, Degree. Graduate of Social Work, University of Vigo. Master’s degree in Public Management and Institutional Leadership, University of Vigo. He is currently writing his Doctoral Thesis. Work experience. He was assistant manager at the Galician Society of Social Services. Since 2014, he has been Assistant Professor in the Degree of Social Work of the University of Vigo. He also collaborated in the supervision of the Practicum of the Degree in Social Work and the direction of Final Degree Reports of this degree and university. Lines of research. History of social work. Professionalization and identity. Compared social work. Training of public policies from social work. Discourse analysis.
Ana B. Méndez Fernández
Ana B. Méndez Fernández, Degree. Degree in Social Work from the University of Santiago de Compostela. Degree in Sociology from the University of Coruña. Master’s Degree in Drug Dependence from the University of Santiago de Compostela. She is currently writing her Doctoral Thesis. Work experience. For several years, Social Worker in the field of Drug Dependence. Since 1997, she has been Professor of the Degree in Social Work at the University of Vigo. For several years, she was Vice-Dean of the Degree in Social Work at this Faculty and she was Coordinator of this Degree and its Practicum. Lines of research. Feminist theory; Theories of justice; Citizenship, difference, and social exclusion. Occupational characteristics of social workers.
Evelia Murcia Álvarez
Evelia Murcia Álvarez, Degree. Graduate in Social Work from the University of Vigo. Master’s Degree in Social Policy and Socio-Community Intervention from the University of Coruña. She is currently writing her Doctoral Thesis. Work experience. Research assistant at the University of Vigo and the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC). Currently, she works at the Center for Research and Social Intervention of the University Institute of Lisbon (CIS-IUL). She also teaches in the Degree of Social Work at the University of Vigo. Lines of research. Impact of social policies on the living conditions of vulnerable populations; Social welfare; Intervention instruments, methods, and models; Occupational characteristics of social workers.
Antonio González Fernández
Antonio González Fernández, Degree. Degree in Professor of Basic Education, Degree in Psychology, Ph.D. of Psychology from the Complutense University (Madrid). Work experience. Professor of Early Childhood Education and Primary Education. Since 1994, Professor of Psychology in the Degrees of Social Work and Social Education at the University of Vigo. He was the Vice Dean of the Degree in Social Work of the University of Vigo. He was also the Coordinator of this Degree and its Final Degree Report. Lines of research. Students’ emotions, motivation, and engagement; students’ autonomy support. Workers’ motivation, burnout, job stressors and vicarious trauma. Occupational characteristics of social workers.