The effects of adherence to professional identity, workplace aggression, and felt accountability on child protection workers’ professional quality of life

Background : Child protection workers (CPWs) are exposed to physical and psychological violence initiated by clients. The consequences associated with exposure to this type of trauma and others are compounded by the anxiety generated by the feelings of being accountable and the constant scrutiny and monitoring CPWs are under. Previous research suggests that acting according to one’s professional values can help protect against the effects of trauma exposure and the anxiety associated with being held accountable when situations devolve into crises.

Methods and objectives : Using path analysis, this study sought to investigate how this complex intersection between client aggression, felt accountability, and professional identity among 310 CPWs is related to their professional quality of life (ProQol).

Results : Results show that adherence to professional identity was strongly and positively associated with ProQoL scores (β = −0.42, p < .001). Felt accountability and exposure to psychological violence (but no other forms of violence) were consistently and negatively related to ProQoL scores (β = −0.42, p < .001/β = −0.20, p < .001). The impact of felt accountability on ProQoL scores can be partially explained by lowered adherence to professional identity. This suggests that the current way CPWs are held accountable and evaluated comes at odds with their professional values.

Conclusion : The article ends with a discussion on how organizational changes surrounding accountability can be anxiety-inducing for some CPWs who increasingly feel overwhelmed by the complexity of their cases. Organizations must therefore reflect on how they can better embody the values of their clinicians.