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Job Demands, Resources, and Burnout in Social Workers in China: Mediation Effect of Mindfulness

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  • Chienchung Huang

    (School of Social Work, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA)

  • Xiaoxia Xie

    (Research Institute of Social Development, Southwestern University of Finance & Economics, Chengdu 611130, China)

  • Shannon P. Cheung

    (School of Social Work, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA)

  • Yuqing Zhou

    (Research Institute of Social Development, Southwestern University of Finance & Economics, Chengdu 611130, China)

  • Ganghui Ying

    (Research Institute of Social Development, Southwestern University of Finance & Economics, Chengdu 611130, China)

Abstract

Internationally, human service professionals, including social workers, experience high burnout and turnover rates. Despite the recent and rapid development of contemporary social work in China, Chinese social workers similarly experience significant rates of burnout. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the factors that contribute to social work burnout. This study applied the job demands and resources (JD-R) model to examine the effects of JD-R on burnout in social workers ( n = 897) from Chengdu, China, and whether these relations are mediated by state mindfulness. Structural equation modeling results supported the previously hypothesized dual process by which JD-R affect burnout, specifically in a sample of social workers in China. Job demands (JD) were positively associated with burnout, while job resources (JR) were negatively associated with burnout. These relations were partially mediated by state mindfulness. JR had a strong, positive direct effect on mindfulness (β = 0.38), and its total effect on burnout was high (β = −0.56). Meanwhile, JD had a slight negative direct effect on mindfulness (β = −0.09), and its total effect on burnout was 0.42. The results suggest that the implementation of mindfulness-based interventions for social workers can potentially mitigate the effect of JD on burnout, as well as increase the effect of JR on burnout.

Suggested Citation

  • Chienchung Huang & Xiaoxia Xie & Shannon P. Cheung & Yuqing Zhou & Ganghui Ying, 2021. "Job Demands, Resources, and Burnout in Social Workers in China: Mediation Effect of Mindfulness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-15, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:19:p:10526-:d:651305
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    Cited by:

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    2. Iasmina Iosim & Patricia Runcan & Virgil Dan & Bogdan Nadolu & Remus Runcan & Magdalena Petrescu, 2021. "The Role of Supervision in Preventing Burnout among Professionals Working with People in Difficulty," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(1), pages 1-15, December.
    3. Zinka Kosec & Stella Sekulic & Susan Wilson-Gahan & Katja Rostohar & Matej Tusak & Marta Bon, 2022. "Correlation between Employee Performance, Well-Being, Job Satisfaction, and Life Satisfaction in Sedentary Jobs in Slovenian Enterprises," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-14, August.

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