BIO-PSYCHO-SOCIAL RISKS AND RESILIENCE IN THE WORKPLACE AMONG SOCIAL WORKERS
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
The work of social workers has long been associated with a high risk of professional burnout, psychological strain, and exposure to various stressors stemming from the demanding nature of client interactions, organizational settings, and societal expectations. The aim of this paper is to identify and analyze the bio-psycho-social risks that social workers face in the workplace, while also exploring the concept of resilience as a key protective factor against these risks. In the biological domain, we focus primarily on physical exhaustion and psychosomatic manifestations; on the psychological level, we analyze stress, emotional exhaustion, and mental resilience; and in the social sphere, we examine interpersonal relationships, support within the work collective, and the social recognition of the profession. The study also highlights the significance of resilience as a dynamic process that helps individuals cope with challenging situations and adapt to stress. In conclusion, we propose recommendations for supporting the mental health and resilience of social workers, including preventive interventions, supervision, and the creation of a supportive work environment.
Downloads
Article Details
Section
How to Cite
References
[1] Bride, B. E. (2007). Prevalence of Secondary Traumatic Stress among Social Workers. Social Work, 52(1), 63–70.
[2] Beddoe, L. (2010). Surveillance or reflection: Professional supervision in ‘the risk society’. British Journal of Social Work, 40(4), 1279–1296.
[3] Connor, K. M., & Davidson, J. R. (2003). Development of a new resilience scale: The Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). Depression and Anxiety, 18(2), 76–82.
[4] Engel, G. L. (1977). The need for a new medical model: a challenge for biomedicine. Science, 196(4286), 129-136.
[5] Figley, C. R. (1995). Compassion fatigue: Coping with secondary traumatic stress disorder in those who treat the traumatized. Brunner/Mazel.
[6] Frankl, V. E. (2006). Man’s Search for Meaning. Beacon Press.
[7] Gillespie, B. M., Chaboyer, W., & Wallis, M. (2007). Development of a theoretically derived model of resilience through concept analysis. Contemporary Nurse, 25(1-2), 124–135.
[8] Grant, L., & Kinman, G. (2014). Developing resilience for social work practice. Macmillan Education UK.
[9] Harvey, S. B., Joyce, S., Tan, L., Johnson, A., Nguyen, H., Modini, M., & Groth, M. (2017). Developing a mentally healthy workplace: A review of the literature. Australian Government: National Mental Health Commission.
[10] Hochschild, A. R. (1983). The Managed Heart: Commercialization of Human Feeling. University of California Press.
[11] Cherniss, C. (1995). Beyond burnout: Helping teachers, nurses, therapists and lawyers recover from stress and disillusionment. Routledge.
[12] Karasek, R., & Theorell, T. (1990). Healthy Work: Stress, Productivity, and the Reconstruction of Working Life. Basic Books.
[13] Kinman, G., & Grant, L. (2011). Exploring stress resilience in trainee social workers: The role of emotional and social competencies. British Journal of Social Work, 41(2), 261–275.
[14] LaMontagne, A. D., Keegel, T., Louie, A. M., Ostry, A., & Landsbergis, P. A. (2014). A systematic review of the job-stress intervention evaluation literature. International Journal of Occupational and Environmental Health, 13(3), 268–280.
[15] Luthar, S. S., Cicchetti, D., & Becker, B. (2000). The construct of resilience: A critical evaluation and guidelines for future work. Child Development, 71(3), 543–562.
[16] Maslach, C., & Leiter, M. P. (2008). Early predictors of job burnout and engagement. Journal of Applied Psychology, 93(3), 498–512.
[17] Masten, A. S. (2001). Ordinary magic: Resilience processes in development. American Psychologist, 56(3), 227–238.
[18] McCann, C. M., Beddoe, E., McCormick, K., Huggard, P., Kedge, S., Adamson, C., & Huggard, J. (2013). Resilience in the health professions: A review of recent literature. International Journal of Wellbeing, 3(1), 60–81.
[19] Robertson, I. T., Cooper, C. L., Sarkar, M., & Curran, T. (2015). Resilience training in the workplace from 2003 to 2014: A systematic review. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 88(3), 533–562.
[20] Schaufeli, W. B., & Greenglass, E. R. (2001). Introduction to special issue on burnout and health. Psychology & Health, 16(5), 501-510.
[21] Šimková, M., Šimek, V. (2025). Psychosocial Factors at Work and Their Impact on Health. No. 2 (2025): Łódzkie Studia Humanistyczne, DOI: 10.32782/2956-333X/2025-2-5
[22] Šimek, V. (2025). Problémové chování ve školním prostředí jao výzva pro vzdělávací praxi a systémovou transformaci. Eastern University of management and Education Inc. odštěpný závod, ISBN 978-80-909497-0-6.
[23] Windle, G. (2011). What is resilience? A review and concept analysis. Reviews in Clinical Gerontology, 21(2), 152–169.
[24] World Health Organization (WHO). (2013). Mental health action plan 2013–2020.