Task Performance of Social Workers Declines Under Verbal Aggression: A Scenario Study

Abstract

Objectives: Social workers frequently face verbal aggression. While most studies have focused on long-term consequences of these encounters, this study examined how verbal aggression influences perceived acute stress and behavioral performance in social workers during these situations. Method: Twenty-seven participants engaged in scenarios with a trained actor portraying service user under either low or high verbal aggression conditions. Psychophysiological responses were measured during and following each scenario. Behavioral performance was evaluated by two experienced raters using a standardized checklist. Results: High verbal aggression elicited significantly higher cognitive and somatic anxiety, greater mental effort, increased heart rate, and reduced self-confidence compared to low aggression. Performance quality, including empathy and active listening, declined under high aggression. Conclusions: Exposure to verbal aggression heightens acute stress and impairs social workers’ performance. Current training may be insufficient to mitigate these effects, as the trained skills degrade under pressure.