Date of Conferral

2023

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Julie Lindahl

Abstract

Research has revealed that adult protective service workers experience high levels of occupational stress that often result in health complications such as burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue. Although several qualitative studies have been conducted over the past decade, there was limited information on the phenomenon of how stress is experienced by adult protective service workers investigating cases of alleged elder abuse. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of a sample of adult protective service caseworkers from the southwestern United States that have experienced occupational stress while investigating cases of elder abuse. This study was derived from the transactional theory of stress and coping concepts and a phenomenological research design. The predominant research question focused on how participants identified and comprehended occupational stressors. The data were collected using semistructured face-to-face interviews and were coded and themed using NVivo software. The results of the study revealed the unique stressors within the field of adult protective services and how caseworkers experienced stress differently during the investigation and case processing of elder abuse. The experiences explored identified circumstances surrounding the role of an APS caseworker. Protective caseworkers are exposed to hostile and frustrating environments that result in feelings of fear, anxiousness, depression, and pressure. The study’s conclusions may serve to promote positive social change by offering practitioners and researchers a better understanding of the phenomenon of occupational stress among adult protective service workers.

Download

Share

 
COinS