Extract
Burnout in social work.
Social workers are considered an occupational group at above-average risk of burnout (Jayaratne & Chess, 1984; Pines & Kafry, 1978). Social work is strongly client related, and practitioners are involved in complex social situations. Also, evaluation criteria of the work are mostly unclear, and role conflicts are abundant. Social workers encounter uncertainty and limited resources to meet high demands. As such, social work is a prime example of the innate conflicts of human services work (Hasenfeld, 1983).
Nonetheless, there are surprisingly few empirical studies on burnout in social work. In literature searches (MEDLINE, Psychological Abstracts, and Sociological Abstracts), the authors found only 18 studies that reported any findings on burnout in social workers, who were defined as people with master of social work degrees or people working in social services agencies. This article reviews these studies with three questions in mind: * Are social workers burned out? * What is associated with burnout in social workers? * What should be done about burnout in social workers? Burnout Physician Ernest W. Johnson (1988) argued that the concept of burnout has become a metaphor for "I give up"; a socially accepted word for fatigue, laziness, or change of heart; or a rationalization for "throwing in the sponge." Johnson referred to results of two studies in which the researchers dismissed "this hyperbolic claim" (that is, burnout) because they did not find any catechola...See the full content of this document
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