{"title":"Applying a Novel Approach to Understanding Social Worker Job Retention during the Pandemic.","authors":"Derrick Alan Kranke, Bridget Kranke, Emily Solorzano, Debbie Gioia, Aram Dobalian","doi":"10.1093/sw/swae013","DOIUrl":"10.1093/sw/swae013","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The job demands-resources (JD-R) theory explicates factors that facilitated social worker burnout prepandemic. Authors believe the JD-R theory can illustrate how certain factors facilitated social worker job retention in the novel context of the pandemic because a sizable group of social workers resisted burnout-related turnover. Disseminating these factors can benefit the profession. Qualitative cross-sectional data were elicited from a semistructured interview about experiences of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) outpatient social workers (N = 13) who provided care during the pandemic. Authors conducted content analysis and coded the text into six themes of factors that facilitated retention: (1) commitment to serving veteran population, (2) job flexibility, (3) supportive colleagues, (4) leadership support, (5) maintaining normal routines, and (6) trusting in scientific/evidence-based practices. Application of the JD-R theory illustrated how social workers utilized specific resources that balanced job demands during the pandemic and facilitated job retention. Future work should apply the JD-R theory among larger samples of VA social workers, as well as non-VA social workers, in the context of the pandemic, for comparative purposes. Authors conclude with policy implications related to the impact of permanently allowing telework options and job flexibility options among social workers.</p>","PeriodicalId":21875,"journal":{"name":"Social work","volume":" ","pages":"151-157"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139898264","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Social workPub Date : 2024-03-19DOI: 10.1093/sw/swae001
Maria Elena Torres, Sunny Maguire, Jennie Kogan
{"title":"\"I Was Told to Think Like a Middle-Aged White Woman\": A Survey on Identity and the Association of Social Work Boards Exam.","authors":"Maria Elena Torres, Sunny Maguire, Jennie Kogan","doi":"10.1093/sw/swae001","DOIUrl":"10.1093/sw/swae001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The release of the 2022 Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) exam passage rate report confirmed what many test takers who failed their exam believe. The ASWB exams are biased, with differential passage rates based on the test taker's race, age, and \"English as a second language\" status. However, the report only offered basic descriptive statistics and lacked insight into the test takers' experience. The present study addresses this gap. Results are from a 2022 survey of individuals who had taken the ASWB master's level licensing exam (N = 1,045) highlighting test taker identity and experience. Thirty percent of the study sample identified as neurodivergent, 29.1 percent as primary caregivers, and 27.1 percent as Black, Indigenous, or persons of color. White respondents had the highest first-attempt passing rates (95.7 percent), followed by Latinx and Black respondents (84.9 percent and 78.2 percent, respectively). Forty-four respondents reported taking the test three or more times before passing. Among this group, 52 percent identified as Black, 25 percent as White, and 18 percent as Latinx. Respondents were asked how they felt their identity impacted their experience, and three interrelated themes emerged: privilege, challenges, and critique of the exam. Respondents discussed the impact of having or not having privilege; the emotional, physical, and financial challenges of preparing for the exam; and the ways in which they experienced the exam as biased.</p>","PeriodicalId":21875,"journal":{"name":"Social work","volume":" ","pages":"185-196"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139898263","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Social workPub Date : 2024-03-19DOI: 10.1093/sw/swae005
Tasha M Childs, Aidyn L Iachini, Melissa Reitmeier, Teri Browne, Dana DeHart, Ala Bengel, My'Ashia Haynesworth
{"title":"Exploring Social Work Practitioners' Perspectives on the Contributors to Burnout since the COVID-19 Pandemic.","authors":"Tasha M Childs, Aidyn L Iachini, Melissa Reitmeier, Teri Browne, Dana DeHart, Ala Bengel, My'Ashia Haynesworth","doi":"10.1093/sw/swae005","DOIUrl":"10.1093/sw/swae005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Burnout has a historic and disproportionate impact on social workers and is one important contributor to the ongoing health and behavioral health workforce crisis in the United States. Little is known, however, about social workers' experiences of burnout and their perceptions of factors that contribute to burnout since the COVID-19 pandemic. This study sought to explore this by answering the following research questions: (a) To what extent are social workers in South Carolina experiencing burnout? and (b) What do South Carolina social workers view as the top reasons for burnout in their professional role? Seventy social work practitioners and leaders from South Carolina completed an online survey during Fall 2022 that included the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and an open-ended question focused on identifying their perceptions of the top three reasons for burnout in the profession. Findings suggest that social workers in this study are experiencing moderate levels of burnout since the COVID-19 pandemic and report primarily organizational (83 percent) contributors to burnout. They also identified individual (36 percent), systemic (29 percent), and interpersonal (27 percent) contributors to burnout. Implications are discussed related to policy and practice responses to prevent and address burnout among social workers.</p>","PeriodicalId":21875,"journal":{"name":"Social work","volume":" ","pages":"142-150"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139747402","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Social workPub Date : 2024-03-19DOI: 10.1093/sw/swae007
Raenece Johnson, Maria Beam
{"title":"A Call to Action: How Social Work Programs Can Respond to Student Food Insecurity.","authors":"Raenece Johnson, Maria Beam","doi":"10.1093/sw/swae007","DOIUrl":"10.1093/sw/swae007","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated student food insecurity on college campuses and exposed the vulnerability of institutions with no food emergency response. During the COVID-19 pandemic and for years to come, the need for social work to lead efforts on college campuses to address student food insecurity is even greater. The need will continue to be significant for social workers in higher education to support students with basic needs, including resources for food, housing, childcare, and transportation. As has been true after other pandemics and economic downturns, professionally trained social workers are critical to brokering resources for individuals in crisis. This article critically examines the role of social work education in addressing the issue of student food insecurity. Through a conceptual lens, it explores the many dimensions of this problem and highlights vital contributions that social work can make within a higher education setting to alleviate food insecurity, enhance student well-being, and promote equitable opportunities for academic success.</p>","PeriodicalId":21875,"journal":{"name":"Social work","volume":" ","pages":"133-141"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139932956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Social workPub Date : 2024-03-19DOI: 10.1093/sw/swae009
Clifford S Bersamira, Sophia B Lau, Yeonjung Jane Lee, Jaron Yamauchi
{"title":"Anti-Asian Hate's Impact on Asian American Social Workers: Implications for Professional Training and Education.","authors":"Clifford S Bersamira, Sophia B Lau, Yeonjung Jane Lee, Jaron Yamauchi","doi":"10.1093/sw/swae009","DOIUrl":"10.1093/sw/swae009","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article explores the impact of recent incidents of anti-Asian hate and violence against Asian American social workers, clients, and communities. Asian Americans represent a small but growing proportion of the U.S. population. Yet, Asians are underrepresented in the social work profession-approximately 3.6 percent of the social work workforce and 2.1 percent of licensed social workers are Asian, and data on underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in the workforce continue to omit details on Asian people. Recent social and political framing of the COVID-19 pandemic as attributable to Asian people has fueled racist rhetoric and incidents of hate and bias crimes against Asian people. Through exploratory research to understand the experiences of Asian American social workers in the proliferation of anti-Asian hate, authors identified that more should be done to support and meet the needs of Asian American social workers, clients, and communities by improving social work education and training, by addressing the social work workforce and agency practices, and by expanding upon advocacy and community building.</p>","PeriodicalId":21875,"journal":{"name":"Social work","volume":" ","pages":"117-124"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139747384","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Social workPub Date : 2024-03-19DOI: 10.1093/sw/swae002
Michael C Gearhart
{"title":"The Multilevel Factor Structure of Social Cohesion, Mutual Efficacy, and Informal Social Control: A Case for Practice-Informed Research.","authors":"Michael C Gearhart","doi":"10.1093/sw/swae002","DOIUrl":"10.1093/sw/swae002","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Collective efficacy is the process by which social cohesion is activated as informal social control. Mutual efficacy, the perceived capability of the community, mediates the relationship between the two constructs. Interventions based on collective efficacy have a positive impact on individuals but are limited in their ability to affect the broader community. A possible explanation for this finding is that community-level theories operate differently at the individual and neighborhood levels. The present study contributes to the literature by testing the multilevel factor structure of social cohesion, mutual efficacy, and informal social control. Findings suggest that multiple-factor structures demonstrate adequate model fit. However, the three-factor model is most consistent with social work theory and practice. Social workers can foster constructive dialogue to build social cohesion, authentically engage residents to build mutual efficacy, and train residents in skills necessary to institute informal social control.</p>","PeriodicalId":21875,"journal":{"name":"Social work","volume":" ","pages":"167-175"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139940780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Social workPub Date : 2024-03-19DOI: 10.1093/sw/swad052
Naomi B Farber, Maryah Stella Fram
{"title":"The Danger of Ideology: Social Work, Israel, and Anti-Semitism.","authors":"Naomi B Farber, Maryah Stella Fram","doi":"10.1093/sw/swad052","DOIUrl":"10.1093/sw/swad052","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21875,"journal":{"name":"Social work","volume":" ","pages":"204-206"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139404424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Social workPub Date : 2024-02-01DOI: 10.1093/sw/swae010
{"title":"NASW's Response to Journal Commentary on Anti-Semitism in Social Work.","authors":"","doi":"10.1093/sw/swae010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/sw/swae010","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":21875,"journal":{"name":"Social work","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2024-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139672709","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Social workPub Date : 2023-12-23DOI: 10.1093/sw/swad045
Sunghyun Hong
{"title":"Trauma-Informed Cultural Humility Mental Health Practice: Centering History among African American Women.","authors":"Sunghyun Hong","doi":"10.1093/sw/swad045","DOIUrl":"10.1093/sw/swad045","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Social work has made significant strides in providing mental health services. However, advancement in mental health practices grounded in social work values, such as trauma-informed care and cultural humility mental health practice (CHMHP), is still lacking. One possible reason is that many strategies overlook clients' historical contexts, particularly the collective history held by the community to which the client belongs. By centering \"history\" in social work practices, clinical social workers can be more equipped to provide high-quality, client-centered services. This article advocates for adopting trauma-informed CHMHP as a critical strategy to elevate history in clinical social work practice and proposes that trauma-informed CHMHP can improve mental health service quality among clients of color who are profoundly disrupted by historical trauma. Specifically, this article proposes that using trauma-informed CHMHP to address historical trauma can enhance mental health treatment outcomes and experiences for African American women. Clinical social workers trained to address these interconnected issues can help reduce disparities in quality treatment access.</p>","PeriodicalId":21875,"journal":{"name":"Social work","volume":" ","pages":"64-72"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2023-12-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138452565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}