Client Violence Towards Social Workers in Spain: A Systematic Review
https://doi.org/10.17583/rimcis.10584
Keywords:
Abstract
Violence in the workplace has important consequences for workers and their own environment. Health and social services professionals are high-risk professional groups. This research has a main aim to identify the studies on client violence towards the social worker in Spain. This aim has four specific objectives to understand the phenomenon: (1) to identify those investigations that study the violence of clients against social workers; (2) to analyze the descriptive characteristics of the selected studies; (3) to analyze the methodological characteristics of the selected studies; (4) to identify the variables associated to client violence towards the social worker. In order to achieve these objectives, the method was based on a review of the literature on studies of violence towards social workers in Spain through the PRISMA-S guidelines (Rethlefsen et al., 2021). The results show that this phenomenon effectively exists, and cast a light on a situation that social workers experience in isolation. Exploring the phenomenon in a descriptive way, the review provides information on the variables studied and the current extent of violence towards social workers by clients. The lack of studies on this subject underlines the need to continue researching into the problem from both descriptive and inferential perspectives.
Downloads
References
Alvarez, C. E. (2020). ¿Cómo prevenir las agresiones a los médicos? Archivos de Prevención de Riesgos Laborales, 23(1), 82-87.
Google Scholar CrossrefAlvarez, J. I. (2008). El asesor jurídico del Colegio responde: “Las agresiones a los trabajadores sociales que realizan funciones públicas”. Trabajo Social Hoy, 54, 41-45.
Google Scholar CrossrefAlvarez, J. I. (2009). El riesgo propio del ejercicio profesional. Trabajo Social Hoy, 57, 45-47.
Google Scholar CrossrefBabiarczyk, B., Turbiarz, A., Tomagová, M., Zeleníková, R., Önler, E., & Sancho Cantus, D. (2020). Reporting of workplace violence towards nurses in 5 European countries–a cross-sectional study. International Journal of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, 33(3), 325-338. https://doi.org/10.13075/ijomeh.1896.01475
Google Scholar CrossrefBalloch, S., Pahl, J., & McLean, J. (1998). Working in the social services: Job satisfaction, stress and violence. The British Journal of Social Work, 28(3), 329-350. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.bjsw.a011343
Google Scholar CrossrefBerasaluze, A., & Berrio-Otxoa, K. (2008). El ejercicio profesional del Trabajo Social hoy. Colegios Oficiales de Diplomados/as en Trabajo Social de Álava, Bizkaia y Gipuzkoa.
Google Scholar CrossrefBerrio-Otxoa, K., & Berasaluze, A. (2008). Aproximación al ejercicio profesional del Trabajo Social. Servicios sociales y política social, 81, 119-130.
Google Scholar CrossrefBrown, R. (1986). Social workers at risk: The prevention and management of violence. Macmillan International Higher Education.
Google Scholar CrossrefCalderón-Orellana, M., Díaz Bórquez, D., & Miranda Sánchez, P. (2023). COVID-19 and client violence toward healthcare social workers in Chile. International Social Work, 66(1), 144-157. https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728221104395
Google Scholar CrossrefCannavò, M., & Fioravanti, M. (2018). A model of multidimensional intervention for the prevention and management of violence and stress in emergency department healthcare professionals. Senses and Sciences, 5(4), 659-675. https://doi.org/10.14616/sands-2018-5-659675
Google Scholar CrossrefChappell, D., & Di Martino, V. (2006). Violence at work. 3rd edition. International Labour Organization.
Google Scholar CrossrefCobos, M. V. (2019). La agresión: no es inherente en el personal de los Centros de Servicios Sociales Comunitarios. Documentos de trabajo social: Revista de trabajo y acción social, 62, 124-156.
Google Scholar CrossrefCrane, D. (1986). Violence on social workers. Social Work Monograph 46. University of East Anglia.
Google Scholar CrossrefEnosh, G., & Tzafrir, S. (2015). The scope of client aggression toward social workers in Israel. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 24(9), 971-985. https://doi.org/10.1080/10926771.2015.1070233
Google Scholar CrossrefEnosh, G., Tzafrir, S., & Gur, A. (2013). Client aggression toward social workers and social services in Israel—A qualitative analysis. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 28(6), 1123-1142. https://doi.org/10.1177/0886260512468230
Google Scholar CrossrefEnosh, G., Tzafrir, S., & Stolovy, T. (2015). The development of client violence questionnaire (CVQ). Journal of Mixed Methods Research, 9(3), 273-290. https://doi.org/10.1177/1558689814525263
Google Scholar CrossrefHarris, B., & Leather, P. (2012). Levels and consequences of exposure to service user violence: Evidence from a sample of UK social care staff. The British Journal of Social Work, 42(5), 851-869. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcr128
Google Scholar CrossrefHerrero, J. (2018). Agresiones a profesionales de centros sanitarios adscritos a una unidad periférica de prevención de riesgos laborales. Máster universitario en prevención de riesgos laborales. [TFM, Universidad Miguel Hernández]. http://dspace.umh.es/bitstream/11000/5629/1/HERRERO%20CARBONELL%2c%20JOAQUIN%20TFM.pdf
Google Scholar CrossrefJayaratne, S., Croxton, T. A., & Mattison, D. (2004). A national survey of violence in the practice of social work. Families in Society, 85, 445-453. https://doi.org/10.1177/104438940408500403
Google Scholar CrossrefJohnson, S. (1988). Guidelines for social workers in coping with violent clients. The British Journal of Social Work, 18(4), 377-390. https://doi-org.eres.qnl.qa/10.1093/oxfordjournals.bjsw.a055454
Google Scholar CrossrefKagan, M., & Itzick, M. (2019). Work-related factors associated with psychological distress among social workers. European Journal of Social Work, 22(1), 30-42. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691457.2017.1357021
Google Scholar CrossrefKoritsas, S., Coles, J., & Boyle, M. (2010). Workplace violence towards social workers: The Australian experience. The British Journal of Social Work, 40(1), 257-271.
Google Scholar CrossrefKosny, A., & Eakin, J. M. (2008). The hazards of helping: Work, mission, and risk in nonprofit and social service organizations. Health, Risk & Society, 10, 149-166. https://doi.org/10.1080/13698570802159899
Google Scholar CrossrefLamothe, J., Couvrette, A., Lebrun, G., Yale-Soulière, G., Roy, C., Guay, S., & Geoffrion, S. (2018). Violence against child protection workers: A study of workers’ experiences, attributions, and coping strategies. Child Abuse & Neglect, 81, 308-321. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.04.027
Google Scholar CrossrefLee, Y., Kim, S. M., Han, D. H., Yoo, S., & Kim, H. (2021). Effects of Indirect Experience of Client Violence on Social Workers’ Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Psychiatry Investigation, 18(11), 1100. https://doi.org/10.30773/pi.2021.0205
Google Scholar CrossrefLittlechild, B. (1995). Violence against social workers. Journal of Interpersonal Violence, 10(1), 123-130. https://doi.org/10.1177/088626095010001009
Google Scholar CrossrefLittlechild, B. (2005). The nature and effects of violence against child-protection social workers: Providing effective support. The British Journal of Social Work, 35(3), 387-401. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bch188
Google Scholar CrossrefMacdonald, G., & Sirotich, F. (2005). Violence in the social work workplace: The Canadian experience. International Social Work, 48(6), 772-781. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F0020872805057087
Google Scholar CrossrefMalesa, K. J., & Pillay, R. (2020). Social workers’ experiences of psychological and physical violence at the workplace. Southern African Journal of Social Work and Social Development, 32(1), 1-17.
Google Scholar CrossrefMcPhaul, K. M., London, M., Murrett, K., Flannery, K., Rosen, J., & Lipscomb, J. (2008). Environmental evaluation for workplace violence in healthcare and social services. Journal of Safety Research, 39(2), 237-250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2008.02.028
Google Scholar CrossrefMerecz, D., Rymaszewska, J., Mościcka, A., Kiejna, A., & Jarosz-Nowak, J. (2006). Violence at the workplace. A questionnaire survey of nurses. European psychiatry, 21(7), 442-450. https://doi.org./10.1016/j.eurpsy.2006.01.001
Google Scholar CrossrefMunobwa, J. S., Ahmadi, F., & Öberg, P. (2021). Anxiety, frustration and understanding. Swedish personal social service workers’ cognitive appraisals of encounters with violent clients. Nordic Social Work Research, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1080/2156857X.2021.1911836
Google Scholar CrossrefNational Association of Social Workers (NASW). (2013). Guidelines for social work safety in the workplace. NASW. https://www.socialworkers.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=6OEdoMjcNC0%3D&portalid=0
Google Scholar CrossrefNational Association of Social Workers (NASW). (2020). Protecting Social Workers and Health Professionals from Workplace Violence Act of 2019 (S. 2880/H.R. 5138). NASW. https://www.socialworkers.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=_PaNxVmrZOg%3D&portalid=0
Google Scholar CrossrefNewhill, C. E. (1996). Prevalence and risk factors for client violence toward social workers. Families in Society, 77(8), 488-495. https://doi.org/10.1606%2F1044-3894.958
Google Scholar CrossrefNewhill, C. E., & Wexler, S. (1997). Client violence toward children and youth services social workers. Children and Youth Services Review,19(3), 195-212. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0190-7409(97)00014-5
Google Scholar CrossrefOccupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). (1996). Workplace violence awareness and prevention: Facts and information. Part I. United States Department of Labour.
Google Scholar CrossrefOccupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). (2016). Guidelines for preventing workplace violence for health care & social service workers. OSHA 3148-01R. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/osha3148.pdf
Google Scholar CrossrefPadyab, M., Chelak, H. M., Nygren, L., & Ghazinour, M. (2012). Client violence and mental health status among Iranian social workers: A national survey. The British Journal of Social Work, 42(1), 111-128.
Google Scholar CrossrefPadyab, M., Ghazinour, M., & Richter, J. (2013). Coping and mental health of Iranian social workers: The impact of client violence. Social Behavior and Personality, 41(5), 805-814. https://doi.org/10.2224/sbp.2013.41.5.805
Google Scholar CrossrefPadyab, M., Richter, J., Nygren, L., & Ghazinour, M. (2013). Burnout among social workers in Iran: Relations to individual characteristics and client violence. Global Journal of Health Science, 5(4), 142. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v5n4p142
Google Scholar CrossrefRethlefsen, M. L., Kirtley, S., Waffenschmidt, S., Ayala, A. P., Moher, D., Page, M. J., & Koffel, J. B. (2021). PRISMA-S: an extension to the PRISMA statement for reporting literature searches in systematic reviews. Systematic reviews, 10(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-020-01542-z
Google Scholar CrossrefRincón-del Toro, T., Villanueva-Guerra, A., Rodríguez-Barrientos, R., Polentinos-Castro, E., Torijano-Castillo, J., de Castro-Monteiro, E., ... & de Blas Salvador, V. (2016). Agresiones sufridas por las personas que trabajan en atención primaria de la Comunidad de Madrid, 2011-2012. Revista Española de Salud Pública, 90.
Google Scholar CrossrefRobelski, S., Mette, J., Wirth, T., Kiepe, N., Nienhaus, A., Harth, V., & Mache, S. M. (2020). (Un) bounded Social Work?—Analysis of Working Conditions in Refugee and Homeless Aid in Relation to Perceived Job Stress and Job Satisfaction. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(2), 601. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390%2Fijerph17020601
Google Scholar CrossrefRobson, A., Cossar, J., & Quayle, E. (2014). Critical commentary: The impact of work-related violence towards social workers in children and family services. The British Journal of Social Work, 44(4), 924-936. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcu015
Google Scholar CrossrefSantás, J. I. (Coord). (2010). Manual orientativo de prevención y actuación ante agresiones a trabajadores sociales. Colegio Oficial de Trabajadores sociales.
Google Scholar CrossrefScaramuzzino, G. (2020). Workplace violence: A threat to autonomy and professional discretion. Sociologisk forskning, 57(3-4), 249-270. https://doi.org/10.37062/sf.57.22059
Google Scholar CrossrefSerrano, M. I., Fernández Rodrigo, M. T., Satústegui Dordá, P. J., & Urcola Pardo, F. (2019). Agresiones a profesionales del sector sanitario en España, revisión sistemática. Revista Española de Salud Pública, 93, e201910097.
Google Scholar CrossrefShields, G., & Kiser, J. (2003). Violence and aggression directed toward human service workers: An exploratory study. Families in Society, 84(1), 13-20. http://dx.doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.83
Google Scholar CrossrefShier, M. L., Graham, J. R., & Nicholas, D. (2018). Interpersonal interactions, workplace violence, and occupational health outcomes among social workers. Journal of Social Work, 18(5), 525-547. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017316656089
Google Scholar CrossrefSicora, A., Nothdurfter, U., Rosina, B., & Sanfelici, M. (2021). Service user violence against social workers in Italy: Prevalence and characteristics of the phenomenon. Journal of Social Work, 22(1), 255-274. https://doi.org/10.1177/14680173211009188
Google Scholar CrossrefSousa, S., Silva, I. S., Veloso, A., Tzafrir, S., & Enosh, G. (2014). Clients’ violence toward social workers. Tékhne, 12, 69-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tekhne.2015.01.006
Google Scholar CrossrefTesi, A., Aiello, A., & Giannetti, E. (2019). The work-related well-being of social workers: Framing job demands, psychological well-being, and work engagement. Journal of Social Work, 19(1), 121-141. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017318757397
Google Scholar CrossrefTruter, E., & Fouché, A. (2019). Risk-laden working lives of child protection social workers in South Africa. Social Work, 55(4), 451-467. https://doi.org/10.15270/55-4-763
Google Scholar CrossrefTurpin, A., Shier, M. L., Nicholas, D., & Graham, J. R. (2021). Workload and workplace safety in social service organizations. Journal of Social Work, 21(3), 575-594. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017320913541
Google Scholar CrossrefTzafrir, S. S., Enosh, G., & Gur, A. (2015). Client aggression and the disenchantment process among Israeli social workers: Realizing the gap. Qualitative Social Work, 14(1), 65-85. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325013509827
Google Scholar CrossrefUreña, M., Santás, J. I., & Sánchez, A. M. (2017). Mucho más allá de la defensa profesional: hacia una intervención centrada en los derechos de los ciudadanos/as y de los profesionales/as: protocolo de prevención y atención ante agresiones a trabajadores/as sociales del Colegio Oficial Trabajo Social Madrid. Congreso Estatal del Trabajo Social. Mérida.
Google Scholar CrossrefVidal-Marti, C., & Pérez-Testor, C. (2015). Patient assaults on professionals? Type II workplace violence: A known phenomenon in Barcelona nursing homes. Work, 51(4), 879-886. https://doi.org/10.3233/WOR-141948
Google Scholar CrossrefVidal-Marti, C. (2020). La violencia laboral en las residencias de mayores. Horsori.
Google Scholar CrossrefVidal-Marti, C., & Pérez, C. (2015). Violencia laboral hacia los profesionales sanitarios en España. Revista Española de Medicina Legal, 41(3), 123-130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.reml.2015.04.001
Google Scholar CrossrefVidal-Marti, C., & Pérez-Testor, C. (2017). Is Chappell and Di Martino's interactive model of workplace violence valid? An article analysing workplace violence towards healthcare professionals in Spain. Aggression and violent behaviour, 35, 83-90. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2017.05.006
Google Scholar CrossrefVirkki, T. (2008). Habitual trust in encountering violence at work: Attitudes towards client violence among Finnish social workers and nurses. Journal of Social Work, 8(3), 247-267. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017308091039
Google Scholar CrossrefWinstanley, S., & Hales, L. (2008). Prevalence of aggression towards residential social workers: Do qualifications and experience make a difference?. Child & Youth, 37(2), 103-110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-008-9051-9
Google Scholar CrossrefZelnick, J. R., Slayter, E., Flanzbaum, B., Butler, N. G., Domingo, B., Perlstein, J., & Trust, C. (2013). Part of the job? Workplace violence in Massachusetts social service agencies. Health & Social Work, 38(2), 75-85. https://doi.org/10.1093/hsw/hlt007
Google Scholar CrossrefZychlinski, E., Itzick, M., & Kagan, M. (2022). Personal and environmental factors associated with self-reported resilience among social workers. International Social Work, 0(0), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/00208728221087043
Google Scholar CrossrefPublished
Metrics
Almetric
Dimensions
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Cristina Vidal- Martí
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
All articles are published under Creative Commons copyright (CC BY). Authors hold the copyright and retain publishing rights without restrictions, but authors allow anyone to download, reuse, reprint, modify, distribute, and/or copy articles as the original source is cited.