Social workers in Russia: an assessment of occupational burnout as part a social portrait

Abstract

The article objective was to identify the level of professional burnout and its assessment with reference to a set of social and professional characteristics of social workers in Russia. The research novelty was in considering burnout as part of the social worker’s established image. The authors proceeded from the assumption that social worker occupation, which involves direct contact with people in difficult life situations, is obviously one of the most conducive to the development of an occupational burnout syndrome, and it is perceived in society this way. Low wages, combined with a significant emotional stress, act as factors contributing to the employee’s professional disorganization. Nevertheless, as it was found in the study, in the specific conditions of Russia, the general characteristics of social workers presuppose not only a desire to continue professional activity in the chosen specialty, but also a relatively low percentage of people with a high degree of occupational burnout.