Does macrosocial orientation matter in frontline social workers' professional identity? Considering the critical factors of social work development in China. (May 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhu, Miao; He, Xuesong; Wang, Yean; Zheng, Guanghuai
• Is Part Of: International social work. Volume 66:Number 3(2023)
• Page Start: 889
• Page End: 903
• Publication Date: 2023-05
• Subjects: China -- cynicism -- frontline social worker -- job characteristics -- macrosocial orientation -- professional identity; Social service -- Periodicals; Social problems -- Periodicals; Globalization -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; Community development -- Periodicals; 361
• DOI: 10.1177/00208728211031960
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0020-8728

Abstract

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.