Occupational Stress in Social Work

Abstract

This article reports the results of a study of occupational stress undertaken with a large sample of Northern Ireland field social workers, including both main grade practitioners and first line senior social work managers employed as team leaders. This study formed part of a wider interprofessional study of social workers, nurses and teachers; publications for the latter two professions along with interprofessional comparisons are in preparation and this present article focuses on the social worker cohort. The design and methods are described and demographic characteristics of the social work sample are provided, with their views about social work. Stressors are identified in both professional and private lives. The effects of stress as manifested through the General Health Questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory are examined and the social workers' views on various stress coping strategies are discussed.