Burnout em profissionais de Serviço Social durante a pandemia de COVID

Abstract

Objective: The study aims to assess the prevalence of burnout in social workers working in Portugal during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Method: Descriptive, quantitative, and cross-sectional study carried out between November 2020 and March 2021, 416 social workers from 20 municipalities in mainland Portugal and the islands participated, answering a brief sociodemographic questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey. Results: Most social workers who participated in the study were represented by women (96.3%). It was found that 54.7% have been working in social work for more than 11 years, and 43.8% were managers / responsible for more than 60 processes. In general, there was no burnout in the participants. Although 82.3% of participants presented results of Personal Accomplishment, it is evident that some participants also presented Emotional Exhaustion (45.1%). Participants who worked overtime and the participants with a greater number of processes presented higher levels of Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization. Participants with fewer years of activity in social work were the ones who presented higher levels in the Personal Accomplishment dimension. Conclusions: Participants in this study do not evidence the presence of burnout. However, although the vast majority present results that reveal personal accomplishment, a considerable percentage reveals higher levels of Emotional Exhaustion. Future studies should assess biological patterns, such as cortisol levels.