scholarly journals Writing about emotional dissonance in client experiences benefits human service professionals

2009 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daiki Sekiya ◽  
Shintaro Yukawa
Keyword(s):  
Human Service ◽  
Emotional Dissonance ◽  
Human Service Professionals ◽  
Client Experiences

scholarly journals The Role of Psychological Capital in Human Service Professionals’ Work Experiences

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 639-648
Author(s):  
Ilaria Di Maggio ◽  
Maria Cristina Ginevra ◽  
Laura Nota
Keyword(s):  
Psychosocial Development ◽  
Human Service ◽  
Healthcare Professionals ◽  
Psychological Capital ◽  
Work Experiences ◽  
Human Service Professionals ◽  
Career Growth ◽  
Positive Representation ◽  
Predictive Role

The study was set up as a first exploration of the predictive role of human service professionals’ (i.e., teachers and healthcare professionals) psychological capital (PC) in their perception of work experiences and some core aspects of their own work, such as their efficacy to instill positive resources in their clients, the positive representation of their work and of the results that they can obtain, and positive beliefs about their career growth. Three hundred and eight Northern Italian human service professionals were involved, of which 163 were elementary school teachers of inclusive classrooms and 145 were healthcare professionals in day and residential centers. The regression analyses which were carried out—controlling for age, gender, years of work experience and the typology of the human service jobs—confirmed the predictive role of PC in the efficacy to instill positive resources in one’s clients, the positive representation of the work and of the results that can be obtained, and positive beliefs about career growth. These results have important implications for practice, and they emphasize that specific interventions aimed at promoting human service professionals’ PC may positively impact the effectiveness of their actions for the adaptation and psychosocial development of their clients.

Effectiveness of Psychological First Aid Training for social work students, practitioners and human service professionals in Alberta, Canada

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-21
Author(s):  
Nasreen Lalani ◽  
Julie Drolet
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Training Program ◽  
Human Service ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Psychosocial Support ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Human Service Professionals ◽  
Psychological First Aid ◽  
First Aid Training

Psychological First Aid (PFA) is becoming a universally accepted intervention in providing psychosocial support to individuals and families affected by trauma or disaster.  Our study aimed to measure the effectiveness of a didactic and simulation based Psychological First Aid (PFA) training program in Alberta, Canada.  Social work students, practitioners, and human service professionals from Calgary, Edmonton, and Lethbridge were invited to attend the training.  A total of 90 participants attended the training at three different sites. A pre and post survey questionnaire was administered to all the participants before and after the training.  Findings showed that the training has significantly improved participants’ PFA knowledge and perceived competence in PFA skill.  PFA training enhanced their confidence, disaster preparedness, and self-care strategies needed to provide psychosocial support to individuals and families in disaster situations. Our study provides preliminary evidence supporting the effectiveness of the PFA training program among social work students, practitioners and human service professionals for future disaster preparedness in Alberta, Canada.Keywords: Psychological first aid, social work, disaster preparedness, training, competency, effectiveness, Canada

scholarly journals Trends in work disability with mental diagnoses among social workers in Finland and Sweden in 2005–2012

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 644-654 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. Rantonen ◽  
K. Alexanderson ◽  
J. Pentti ◽  
L. Kjeldgård ◽  
J. Hämäläinen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Special Education Teachers ◽  
Human Service ◽  
Work Disability ◽  
Preschool Teachers ◽  
Related Disorder ◽  
Final Model ◽  
Human Service Professionals

AimsSocial workers report high levels of stress and have an increased risk for hospitalisation with mental diagnoses. However, it is not known whether the risk of work disability with mental diagnoses is higher among social workers compared with other human service professionals. We analysed trends in work disability (sickness absence and disability pension) with mental diagnoses and return to work (RTW) in 2005–2012 among social workers in Finland and Sweden, comparing with such trends in preschool teachers, special education teachers and psychologists.MethodsRecords of work disability (>14 days) with mental diagnoses (ICD-10 codes F00–F99) from nationwide health registers were linked to two prospective cohort projects: the Finnish Public Sector study, years 2005–2011 and the Insurance Medicine All Sweden database, years 2005–2012. The Finnish sample comprised 4849 employees and the Swedish 119 219 employees covering four occupations: social workers (Finland 1155/Sweden 23 704), preschool teachers (2419/74 785), special education teachers (832/14 004) and psychologists (443/6726). The reference occupations were comparable regarding educational level. Risk of work disability was analysed with negative binomial regression and RTW with Cox proportional hazards.ResultsSocial workers in Finland and Sweden had a higher risk of work disability with mental diagnoses compared with preschool teachers and special education teachers (rate ratios (RR) 1.43–1.91), after adjustment for age and sex. In Sweden, but not in Finland, social workers also had higher work disability risk than psychologists (RR 1.52; 95% confidence interval 1.28–1.81). In Sweden, in the final model special education teachers had a 9% higher probability RTW than social workers. In Sweden, in the final model the risks for work disability with depression diagnoses and stress-related disorder diagnoses were similar to the risk with all mental diagnoses (RR 1.40–1.77), and the probability of RTW was 6% higher in preschool teachers after work disability with depression diagnoses and 9% higher in special education teachers after work disability with stress-related disorder diagnoses compared with social workers.ConclusionSocial workers appear to be at a greater risk of work disability with mental diagnoses compared with other human service professionals in Finland and Sweden. It remains to be studied whether the higher risk is due to selection of vulnerable employees to social work or the effect of work-related stress in social work. Further studies should focus on these mechanisms and the risk of work disability with mental diagnoses among human service professionals.

scholarly journals Implementation and Impact of Results-Based Accountability Learning: Successes and Challenges With Human Service Professionals of Color in Urban Agencies

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Hopkins ◽  
Megan Meyer ◽  
Amy Cohen-Callow ◽  
Nicole Mattocks ◽  
Jenny Afkinich
Keyword(s):  
Performance Management ◽  
Women Of Color ◽  
Human Service ◽  
Work Organizations ◽  
Public Agencies ◽  
Leadership Positions ◽  
Human Service Professionals ◽  
Similar Work ◽  
Coaching Process ◽  
Performance Results

A foundation–university partnership was developed to expand the bench of human service professionals (HSPs) of color trained in performance management with the results-based accountability (RBA) framework. Interviews and survey data reflect the RBA learning, application, and implementation experiences among three cohorts of HSPs of color ( n = 39) representing a variety of urban nonprofit and public agencies ( n = 35) in a metropolitan area. The HSPs reported valuable training experiences that provided an opportunity to make a greater impact within their organizations. However, some found the training to be missing a strategy on how to manage RBA in their work organizations. The participants reported appreciating the peer coaching process for its mutual support structure, focus on application, and the opportunity to network with others doing similar work across the region. The most common barrier reported by the HSPs was that they did not hold high enough leadership positions or have enough authority within their organizations, a common scenario for women of color in particular, to enact substantial change in performance management agencywide. Moving forward, strategies are needed to improve the implementation of RBA into urban nonprofit and public agencies and support the upward mobility of HSPs of color to oversee performance results using RBA.

Quality Circles in Quality of Work Life Projects: Problems and Prospects for Increasing Employee Participation

1984 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gervase R. Bushe
Keyword(s):  
Social Relations ◽  
Human Service ◽  
Organization Theory ◽  
Employee Participation ◽  
Work Life ◽  
Quality Of Work Life ◽  
Quality Circles ◽  
Human Service Professionals ◽  
Quality Of Work

Improving the quality of work life in order to reduce alienation, anomie, physical and mental stress has been a focus of human service professionals for many decades. In the past twenty years much of this work has been in Quality of Work Life and Quality Circles (Theory Z) designed to increase worker participation. These efforts have centered around increasing the participation and involvement of lower level employees in decisions that affect their daily working lives. This paper takes the position that good training is not enough. If employee participation is to really take hold, it must be supported by appropriate organizational structures and procedures. Human service professionals who want to increase their influence on organizations must augment their knowledge and skills in social relations with an understanding of organization theory and design. The paper concludes by suggesting directions for the 1980s, pointing out the need for techno-structural intervention strategies and highlighting potential entry levers for those concerned with improving the quality of work life in organizations.

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