Life and Job Satisfaction Among Public-Sector Social Workers in the occupied Palestinian Territory

ABSTRACT

This study examined the direct effects of work-related factors (i.e., organizational support, job security, job stress) on life satisfaction among public-sector social workers (N = 221) in the occupied Palestinian Territory and the indirect effects of those variables on life satisfaction through job satisfaction. Using path analysis, results indicated that job security directly influenced life satisfaction. Organizational support and job stress indirectly influenced life satisfaction through job satisfaction. Policies such as fair work contracts and supportive supervisors could enhance social workers’ well-being. Future research is needed to strengthen our understanding of other factors related to life satisfaction (e.g., trauma exposure).

KEYWORDS:

• Life satisfaction
• job satisfaction
• social workers
• Palestine
• occupied Palestinian Territory

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the leadership at the Ministry of Social Development (MOSD; formerly the Ministry of Social Affairs) within the Palestinian National Authority for support of this project. The authors are especially grateful to the dedicated, hard-working social workers within MOSD who participated in the study and daily strengthen the social fabric of Palestinian civil society by serving families who are in need.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Dr. Scott D. Easton received financial support for the project from Boston College through the Office of the Provost and the School of Social Work. Translation support was received from Ms. Ikram Estefan Easton, MS (translation director), Ms. Ghazlan Aldeweesh, MSW (translation assistant), and Dr. Mohammad A. Thawabteh, PhD, and Dr. Omar Y. Najjar, PhD Q2 (translation quality analysts).