Burnout and Physical Health among Social Workers - Book Report/Review Example

Burnout and Physical Health among Social Workers The ‘Burnout and Physical Health among Social Workers’ article entails the analysis of a long lists of past studies on the topic in additional to the writers’ own research as an upgrade to the effects of burnout. The three authors of the article ensure that they have a firm foundation about the correlation between burnout and social workers by extracting all the necessary information from multiple past studies as elaborated in the introduction part of the paper. The authors’ discuss on the effects of burnout on social workers but unlike most of the past studies, they narrow the influences down and focus on those that affect the physical health. Based on the other explication of burnout dimensions (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and diminished personal accomplishment), the problem is prevalent around the globe and the authors attest to this through drawing sections from different articles that unconsciously state one or two health effects (Hamsung &Kao, 2011). Establishing the effects of burnout on physical health is extensively important because it can provide a solution by helping the social workers avoid practices that would lead to burnout and eventually physical illness. The social workers are prone to burnout because of the consistent work-overloads because of the limited staff members and increased turnover thus they lack sufficient supervision. This prompts social worker’s psychological distress, which ultimately leads to augmented burnout. Moreover, the physical illnesses resulting from burnout affect the quality and stability of social services. The authors utterly explain the nature of the problem making it easier to understand the chief approach of their study. Part 2: Quality of the Research The article entails a peer-reviewed research, which enhances the quality relative to its approval by experienced experts in the field. Moreover, the methodology, discussion and conclusions have multiple references supporting the author’s arguments from the collected data, which enhances the accuracy. The article has over twenty references supporting the problem definition and identification of burnout among social workers. In addition, the authors ensure the audience has a clear understanding of the main entity by providing a vast and clear description of social workers and their practice (Hamsung &Kao, 2011). Even though the authors draw most of the expressed views from past studies and research, they provide additional views of the reasons for the adverse effects of burnout on the social worker’s physical health. As part of the abstract, the authors include an explanation of the information used in the identification of social workers as the best target group. The literature review section has clear description of the main theories and concepts applied during the research. The authors use implications of the problem to tie it to the research making it easy for the audience to understand without fear of insufficient literature review (Hamsung &Kao, 2011). Finally, even though the authors insist on using multiple references, they still observe the time-factor; in fact, very few references have information gathered a decade from now. Part 3: Data Collection, Sampling and Measures Methods and Data Collection 1. Methods The authors used descriptive survey design (quantitative techniques) and variables in answering the research, which entailed proper identification that lay ground for the formulation of a hypothesis whose testing applied using longitudinal study. Quantitative techniques of data analysis and data collection were primal in the methodology especially in establishing a substantial basis for discussions relative to the effects of burnout on social worker’s physical health. The research methodology depended heavily on evidence relative to the general effects of burnout on social workers focusing on individual influences of the three dimensions i.e. depersonalization leads to diminished cellular immunity (Hamsung &Kao, 2011). The evidence mixed with a foundation survey based on whether all social workers experience the burnout effects or it is only those with certain attributes such as heavy workloads. The authors used questionnaires mailed to the randomly selected participants from the California Registry of Clinical Social Workers. They were the key instruments for this study because of efficiency in that they guaranteed the researchers a collection of data from a much larger sample; moreover, they allowed respondents to give frank answers to sensitive questions. The survey took place annually for a period of three years (2005-2007). Resolutely, the survey also relied on a lot of literature review and self-report data depending on respondents to provide information on individual experiences, truthfully and accurately; therefore, the information unknown to the participants is not included (Hamsung &Kao, 2011). It was a requirement for the researchers to make efforts on following up where possible and sought clarifications to enhance accuracy of the findings. As a way of making sure the questionnaires exhausted all the possible information the participants had and increase the sample size, the authors gave follow-up questionnaires to maximize the response rate. Moreover, they conducted a preliminary analysis by applying logistic regression models for the examination of the relationship among some of the study variables. 2. Data Collection The researchers, who are also the authors, collected the data since it was not a hard task mailing out the wave one questionnaires or even the follow-ups. As part of their training, the authors acquired sufficient knowledge about the effects of the burnout on social workers together with the application of the measurement and research instruments in the study i.e. Moslach Burnout Inventory- Human Service Survey (Hamsung &Kao, 2011). Relative to ensuring accuracy of the data, the authors clarified on the particular details of the data to be collected i.e. understanding the information the questionnaire aims at colleting. This involved training and protocol between them. Moreover, the researchers had a firm foundation on the background information including all measurement/questionnaire protocols. The data on past studies focused solely on peer-reviewed articles. In addition, all the questionnaires were standard including the follow-up ones to enhance accuracy. Definitely, the social workers, as the key participants, have mutual dissimilarities and the researchers took note of this prior to beginning their study. 3. Consent and Confidentiality The researchers acquired authority from the participants under review for their consent forms issued to the social workers. Study subjects that are mainly the 407 social workers from the California had an assurance of confidentiality in the handling of their data, which eliminated any chances vulnerable populations feeling the researchers were taking advantage of them. Measurement of Data Variables (concepts) How they were measured Physical Health Complaints (dependent) Physical Health Questionnaire Burnout (independent) Moslach Burnout Inventory – Human Service Survey Variations between Burnout Groups One- Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVAs) Sensitivity of physical illnesses (dependent) Seven Point Likert type scale All the measures used i.e. Physical Health Questionnaire and Moslach ensured accuracy and meaningfulness of inferences based on research results hence the instruments measured what they are intended to measure. There was a pilot study prior to the actual research and a percent of population was enough for piloting to enable researcher to determine whether there is any ambiguity in any of the items and ensured that the instruments elicited the type of data anticipated to answer research questions (Hamsung &Kao, 2011). As part of face validity, the researchers who are experts in the area of study reviewed the instruments too and those that failed to measure the variables intended were either modified or discarded. The researchers gauged reliability of Moslach and Physical Health Questionnaire through the measure of degree to which modules of the research added consistent results or data after the repeated trials and an instrument was reliable to the degree that it consistently measured the characteristic of interest over time. The researcher administered follow-up questionnaires and after sometime -similar questionnaires. They also enforced this through the application of various variation tests and estimations such as Full Information Maximum Likelihood (FIML) or One- Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) (Hamsung &Kao, 2011). Sampling Sampling techniques involved probability, which the researchers adopted in this study to draw the sample from the social workers (N=407). Collection of data was from surveys, edited and coded in preparation of data analysis. Desk study of the peer-reviewed articles was the basis of obtaining independent information that will help in supporting the hypothesis. However, the random selection was unorthodox given the depth of the problem but the researchers used this sampling technique to avoid spending more resources in addition, to it being easy and less time consuming. Data Analysis Firstly, the study had selected qualitative data, which required a different analysis using the latest version of SPSS. Tables, charts and graphs also applied in the analysis of qualitative data. The researchers collected the questionnaires themselves to avoid any errors, which was easier because they kept hold of the individual copies. Resolutely, the researchers divided the final analysis into two stages. The first was establishing the relationships between burnout and physical health complaints and the second was testing the baseline levels of burnout for every year. As part of strengthening the validity of the results and efficiency of the two stages, the researchers used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), Full Information Maximum Likelihood (FIML), One- Way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tests among others (Hamsung &Kao, 2011). Finally, the researchers shared the results with the respondents to notify them of their statuses and increase the legitimacy of the tests. Results The authors gave significant attention to the respondent social workers in the interview with 285 of the initial sample group providing vast information included in the analysis. The response provided information relative to the different fields as social workers i.e. almost half of the group worked in the mental health field while the rest of the group comprised of clinical and associate workers. These details created a vast list of probable determinants of the burnout discrepancies among social workers in different fields. However, these fields did not contribute greatly to the results. The ANOVA tests created a firm foundation for the authors to establish the relationships between burnout and physical health for the social workers (Hamsung &Kao, 2011). Generally, the authors concluded social workers with low burnout levels had less physical health problems and vice versa. They also provided details to support the findings that high-burnout group had advanced physical health problems than the moderate and low burnout groups in form of responses and examples from the interviews. Limitations Resolutely, the social work practice has some limitations relative to the workloads, strength and levels of commitment required, which could be the main reason why female social workers had more physical health problems than male counterparts as per the results of the study (Hamsung &Kao, 2011). Relative to the limitations of the study, the overall research relied on a lot of literature review and self-report data depending on respondents to truthfully and accurately report on personal occurrences as social workers. Therefore, information unknown to the sample group used by the authors is not included in the analysis or results. Finally, it was a requirement for the researcher to make efforts on following up where possible and sought clarifications to enhance accuracy of the findings. References Hansung, K. J &Kao, D (2011) Burnout and Physical Health among Social Workers – A Three Years Longitudinal Study: National Association of Social Workers. 56(3): 258-68. Read More