Miriam J. Landsman

Commitment in Public Child Welfare

This study applies theoretical concepts derived from occupational sociology to develop and estimate a causal model of organizational and occupational commitment among public child welfare employees. It relies on structural equation modeling of data from a cross‐sectional survey of child welfare employees within the Missouri Department of Social Services. The results show that job satisfaction and organizational and occupational attachment are distinct but related constructs that are influenced by structural features of the workplace, job stressors, and professional identification.

Legitimacy and Justice Perceptions

Consistent with the theoretical argument of Hegtvedt and Johnson, we empirically examine the relationship between collectivity-generated legitimacy of reward procedures and individual-level justice perceptions about reward distributions. Using data from a natural setting, we find that collectivity sources of validity (authorization and endorsement) exert positive effects on individual-level justice perceptions as predicted by Hegtvedt and Johnson, but that this influence is entirely indirect through the individuals perception of procedural justice. These effects are found net of self-interest and net of other job-related sources of support from the collectivity.

Using Mediation to Achieve Permanency for Children and Families

The Iowa Mediation for Permanency Project (IMPP), a nonadversarial mediation-based approach founded on the principles of attachment and empowerment, is a promising way to achieve permanency for children, a national priority in child welfare established by The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997. The IMPP broadens the concept of permanency to include reunification and guardianship. The authors discuss its implementation, including qualifications and requirements of mediators, examine an independent evaluation of the results, and present two case histories.

Mixed Methods Study of the Effectiveness of Intensive Family Finding Services with Youth in Congregate Care

ABSTRACT Helping youth in congregate care form healthy relationships and achieve stability is an ongoing concern among child welfare stakeholders. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine the effectiveness of a family finding intervention with youth with a history of congregate care placement and to explore factors related to the achievement of relational and physical permanency. Results from a logistic regression indicated that for youth previously in congregate care, intensive family finding increased the odds of achieving relational permanency, but not physical permanency. Qualitative analyses identified several themes surrounding successes and challenges to achieving relational and physical permanency.

Burnout Among Iowa Hospice Workers: A Test of the Job Demands-Resources Model

ABSTRACT Burnout is a critical problem for hospice care system, particularly given the potential increase in hospice utilization because of the increasing older adult population. Hospice care requires social workers and other professionals to work in interdisciplinary settings under conditions of prolonged stress. Guided by the Job Demands-Resources (JDR) model, this study sought to: (1) understand Iowa hospice workers’ level of burnout, indicated by emotional exhaustion (EE); (2) identify organizational and personal determinants of EE. This web-based study used a cross-sectional survey administered to hospice staff across Iowa. Seventeen hospice organizations participated as study sites, and 244 out of 825 employees, consisting of interdisciplinary clinical workers and administrative personnel, completed the survey. Descriptive, correlational, and regression statistics were used to test study hypotheses. Regarding EE levels, 59% of participants were experiencing low EE, while the other 41% had moderate or high EE. Those lacking empathy, working full-time, and working for larger hospice organizations had greater EE. While findings largely support the JDR model, interactions between demands and resources offer only partial support. Results indicate the importance of hospices fostering supportive work environments and providing employee education about emotional benefits of respect, strategies for displaying workplace respect, and evaluation of respect-related initiatives.

The Changing Landscape of In-Home Child Welfare Services

In-home child welfare services represent a broad range of approaches to supporting and strengthening families to achieve the key outcomes of family and child well-being, permanency, and safety. Exi...