Does macrosocial orientation matter in frontline social workers’ professional identity? Considering the critical factors of social work development in China

Bibliographic Data

ID9974498
AuthorsMiao Zhu (0000-0003-0535-1179, Central China Normal University), Xuesong He (0000-0002-3455-9879, East China University of Science and Technology), Yean Wang (0000-0002-1090-9598, Beijing Normal University), Guanghuai Zheng (0000-0002-8852-2676, Central China Normal University, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume66
Issue3
Pages889-903
Publication date2021-10-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Social Work (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0020-8728 • E-ISSN: 1461-7234
PublisherSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00208728211031960
OpenAlexW3203637966
LanguageEN
Citations received9
References cited41

This study focused on the macrosocial orientation of frontline social workers to develop an integrated model for professional identity. We used a nationally representative sample of 3069 frontline social workers in China and conducted confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, bootstrapping mediation, and multiple-group moderation analyses. The results show that cynicism and job characteristics, as a causal chain, serially mediated the relationship between macrosocial orientation and professional identity, and those relationships varied depending on the following three factors: social work education, licensing, and workplace setting. The findings have theoretical and practical implications for how frontline social workers form professional identity

Bootstrapping (finance · Burnout · Cynicism · Identity (music · Mediation · Political science · Social group · Social identity theory · Sociology · Structural equation modeling · Clinical Psychology · Psychology · Social Policy and Reform Studies · Social Psychology · Social Work Education and Practice · Youth Education and Societal Dynamics · Social Work