Prospective effects of peer support and gender roles on the mental health and work functioning of child protection workers exposed to potentially traumatic events

Auteurs

Stéphane Guay, Trauma Studies Centre, Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada, School of Criminology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada, Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Alexandre Lemyre, Trauma Studies Centre, Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada, School of Criminology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Rocio Guédé, School of Psychoeduction, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Robert-Paul Juster, Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada
Steve Geoffrion, Trauma Studies Centre, Institut Universitaire en Santé Mentale de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada, School of Psychoeduction, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada

Type de document

Études primaires

Année de publication

2023

Langue

Anglais

Titre de la revue

Child Abuse and Neglect

Résumé

Background: Child protection workers (CPWs) are regularly exposed to potentially traumatic events (PTEs), especially, aggressive behaviors from the service users.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a peer support program on the mental health and work functioning of CPWs exposed to a PTE, while considering the moderating effect of gender roles.

Participants and setting: Participants were recruited in two youth social services centers (YSS) in Canada and assessed one month (n = 176), two months (n = 168), six months (n = 162), and 12 months (n = 161) following exposure to a PTE. Three groups were formed: workers from the first YSS who received peer support (intervention group), workers from the first YSS who did not receive peer support (first control group), and workers from the second YSS where no peer support program was available (second control group).

Methods: Linear mixed models were used to compare the three groups across time.

Results: The intervention group did not differ from the control groups on any outcome variables at any time points. Gender roles did not moderate any effect. However, compared with the first control group, the intervention group scored lower on masculine gender roles, suggesting that lower masculinity may facilitate help seeking behaviors.

Conclusion: The results point toward the need to improve the peer support intervention, to complement this intervention with other forms of support, and to promote organizational changes that would favor the workers' well-being and facilitate their recovery following a PTE. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd

Mots-clés

Travailleur social, Social worker, Agression, Aggression, Violence, Anxiété, Anxiety, Stress post-traumatique, Posttraumatic stress, Intervention de crise, Crisis intervention, Santé mentale, Mental health, Canada

Numéro de projet IRSST

2013-0083

Citation recommandée

Guay, S., Lemyre, A., Guédé, R., Juster, R.-P. et Geoffrion, S. (2023). Prospective effects of peer support and gender roles on the mental health and work functioning of child protection workers exposed to potentially traumatic events. Child Abuse & Neglect, 137, article 106033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106033