Xie Xiaoxia, Huang Chienchung, Cheung Shannon P, Zhou Yuqing, Fang Jingbo
Research Institute of Social Development, Southwestern University of Finance and Economics, Chengdu, China.
School of Social Work, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, United States.
Front Psychol. 2021 Dec 10;12:741563. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.741563. eCollection 2021.
Social work is a fast-growing profession in China, with the workforce numbering approximately 1.2 million in 2018. Studies have shown, however, that social workers in China experience high burnout rates and significant psychological distress. Analyzing data collected from 897 social workers in Chengdu, China, we applied the job demands and resources (JD-R) theory to examine the effects of JD-R on burnout and psychological distress in social workers, as well as whether these relations are moderated by gender and age. Results supported a dual process by which JD-R affected both social workers' burnout and psychological distress through health impairment and motivation processes. Job demands (JD) were associated with high burnout and psychological distress. Meanwhile, job resources (JR) were associated with reduced burnout and psychological distress. Results indicated that JR had greater effects on burnout and distress than did JD. Women and younger professionals appeared to be affected most by JD and psychological distress. The findings support a need for interventions that buffer the effects of JD-R on burnout and psychological distress in social workers in China, focusing on women and younger professionals.
社会工作在中国是一个快速发展的职业，2018年从业人员约有120万。然而，研究表明，中国的社会工作者职业倦怠率很高，且存在严重的心理困扰。通过分析从中国成都897名社会工作者收集的数据，我们应用工作要求与资源（JD-R）理论来研究JD-R对社会工作者职业倦怠和心理困扰的影响，以及这些关系是否受到性别和年龄的调节。结果支持了一个双重过程，即JD-R通过健康损害和动机过程影响社会工作者的职业倦怠和心理困扰。工作要求（JD）与高职业倦怠和心理困扰相关。同时，工作资源（JR）与降低职业倦怠和心理困扰相关。结果表明，JR对职业倦怠和困扰的影响比JD更大。女性和年轻专业人员似乎受JD和心理困扰的影响最大。研究结果表明，有必要采取干预措施，缓冲JD-R对中国社会工作者职业倦怠和心理困扰的影响，重点关注女性和年轻专业人员。
