Evelia Murcia Álvarez (Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Vigo, Ourense )
(Spain)
Co-author:
Xoán Lombardero Posada – Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Vigo, Ourense, Spain
Francisco X. Aguiar Fernández – Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Vigo, Ourense, Spain
Antonio González Fernández – Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Vigo, Ourense, Spain
Ana B. Méndez Fernández – Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Vigo, Ourense, Spain
Topic: Social workers’ vicarious resilience: associations with job demands and personal resources
Language: English
Abstract
In some cases, the vicarious exposure to patients’ traumatic experiences may generate different positive reactions in helping professionals, such as vicarious resilience. Theoretical models predict that job demands/stressors reduce vicarious resilience, and that personal resources may enhance this reaction. However, there is little empirical research linking some of these variables among social workers. This study aims to test whether vicarious resilience would be predicted by three job demands (family-work conflict, work-family conflict, and role conflict) and by two personal resources (problem-focused coping and self-care practices). A sample of 448 social workers from Spain completed an online questionnaire. The analyses revealed that vicarious resilience was negatively associated with family-work conflict, work-family conflict and role conflict, and was positively associated with problem-focused coping and self-care practices. In line with previous research, results support the need for interventions to promote vicarious resilience, enhancing personal resources and reducing job stressors.