The Impact of Professional and Emotional Burnout on the Choice of Coping Strategies in the Context of Psychological Training of Social Workers

Abstract

In contemporary society, social work faces a serious problem of a shortage of qualified professionals. This shortage caused by the low prestige of the profession and significant professional burnout among practicing social workers. Professional burnout, a result of chronic stress and emotional exhaustion, negatively impacts the quality of services provided, deteriorating the overall quality of life for both the specialists themselves and society as a whole. The article examines this issue in detail, focusing on the role of coping strategies in managing stress and preventing burnout.

The authors of the article pay special attention to adaptive coping strategies, such as seeking social support, positive reevaluation, and the development of professional skills, which help to cope with professional challenges and reduce the risk of developing professional burnout.

The study utilizes diagnostic methods for assessing the level of professional burnout and coping strategies among social workers in the city of Karaganda. The results show that effective coping mechanisms can play a crucial role in preventing or mitigating the symptoms of professional burnout, improving the psychological state and professional well-being of social workers.

The article offers a number of recommendations aimed at developing educational programs and organizational policies to support social workers, including art therapy and training in the use of effective coping strategies. These measures are directed at increasing the resilience of social workers to stress, developing skills for actively coping with professional challenges, and preventing burnout.

In conclusion, the authors emphasize that the integration of effective coping strategies into the practice of social work is a key factor in the resilience of professionals to stress and burnout, contributing to the improvement of the quality and effectiveness of the services provided and the retention of qualified specialists in the field of social work.