Factors Associated with Israeli Social Workers' Intention to Stay in the Profession.

The phenomenon of social workers leaving the profession occurs frequently, underscoring the importance of understanding factors contributing to the intention to stay (ITS) in the profession. Based on the job demands-resources theory (JD-R), this study examined selected social worker workplace "demands" (i.e., their organizational sector of employment and level of work-family conflict) and "resources" (i.e., levels of meaning, locus of control, and salary satisfaction at work). Online survey data were obtained from 407 Israeli social workers. The findings showed that higher levels of meaning and salary satisfaction at work, greater professional seniority, and lower levels of work-family conflict were associated with greater ITS in the profession. Data were gathered during the COVID-19 pandemic, enabling examination of variables contributing to the ITS during times of crisis. These findings confirm that meaning at work is the main factor that motivates social worker ITS in the profession. Salary satisfaction was also found to be an essential factor, highlighting the recent escalation in social worker demands for fair compensation in Israel. Greater work-family balance also contributed to ITS. These findings should be considered by governmental decision makers and welfare service providers wishing to preserve this essential workforce, not just in Israel but also in other countries.

The mediating roles of optimism, loneliness, and psychological distress in the association between a sense of community and meaning in life among older adults.

A sense of community is known to be a protective factor for the well-being of older adults and meaning in life associated with positive mental outcomes. Nevertheless, there is a need to expand the knowledge of the role of a sense of community in meaning in life, particularly among older adults. Intending to broaden the empirical understanding from this perspective, the current study examined the mediating roles of optimism, loneliness, and psychological distress in the association between a sense of community and meaning in life. Participants included 740 community dwelling Israeli older adults (M = 71.96; SD = 5.81). Participants completed questionnaires on a sense of community, optimism, loneliness, psychological distress, meaning in life, and sociodemographic characteristics. A positive association was found between a sense of community with optimism, and a negative association with loneliness. A negative association between optimism with psychological distress and a positive link between loneliness with psychological distress was found, while a higher level of psychological distress was associated with a lower level of meaning in life. Practitioners should focus interventions with older adults on developing a sense of community, with the aim to promote optimism and, at the same time, reduce loneliness and thus decrease psychological distress while strengthening meaning in life.

Psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic: An integrative perspective.

Informed by socio-ecological psychology and the conservation of resources model, the present study proposes an integrative perspective on the association between psychological distress and a constellation of factors, during the COVID-19 outbreak in Israel. Our sample, comprised of 991 adult participants, was measured for psychological distress, locus of control (internal/ external), resilience, loneliness, social support, dimensions of citizens' trust in government organizations (perceived competence, benevolence, and integrity), and demographic characteristics. The findings showed that women, non-religious people, and the unemployed reported higher levels of psychological distress. Internal locus of control, resilience, social support, and the extent to which citizens perceive government organizations as benevolent were negatively associated with psychological distress. Self-reported loneliness and external locus of control positively predicted the level of respondent psychological distress. No association was detected between age, competence and integrity and psychological distress. An overview of the research findings indicates that individuals with greater resources were less likely to suffer from psychological distress during the COVID-19 outbreak. These findings call upon mental health care practitioners to help as well as to enable clients to attain resources in order to lower their levels of psychological distress. Policies developed by policymakers during periods of acute crisis should consider the specific needs and vulnerabilities of certain population groups, including women and the unemployed who may be more susceptible to psychological distress. It is also important for policymakers to be aware that the perception of democratic governments as benevolent can serve as a buffer against psychological distress during times of crisis.

Meaning in Life among Older Adults: An Integrative Model.

Meaning in life (MIL) among older adults has a significant physical and mental health impact. This study aimed to present an integrative model of factors that contribute to variability in MIL among older adults, including background characteristics (gender, age, employment status, religiosity), personality characteristics (locus of control, self-efficacy, optimism), and psycho-social factors (psychological distress and loneliness). Participants (751 older adults, Mage = 72.27, SD = 6.28; 446 female, 305 male) responded to a questionnaire in-person or online. Measures included: demographic variables, Short Scale for the Assessment of Locus of Control, New General Self-Efficacy Scale, Life Orientation Test-Revised, Kessler Psychological Distress Scale, and Hughes Short Scale for Measuring Loneliness. Hierarchical regression revealed that younger and religious older adults reported higher MIL levels than older and non-religious older adults. Internal locus of control, higher self-efficacy, and higher optimism were linked to higher MIL levels. Higher psychological distress and loneliness were associated with lower MIL levels, with psychological distress contributing the most of all variables in the study model to explain the variance in MIL among older adults. Employed older old adults reported lower MIL levels than those unemployed. The study emphasizes the importance of an integrative approach in the examination of MIL among older adults.

The Culture of Volunteerism: Attitudes and Motivations among Generation 1.5 Former Soviet Union Immigrants versus Native-Born Israelis.

The large Former Soviet Union (FSU) immigration of the 1990s, accounting for approximately 15% of the Jewish population in Israel today, plays a significant role in shaping Israeli society. Volunteering, as part of social citizenship and normative culture, is an important element of acculturation among immigrants. The present study compares volunteering attitudes and motivations among Generation 1.5 FSU immigrants in their third decade in Israel to native-born Israelis (NBIs): 576 participants, 50.2% NBIs and 49.8% FSUs. Generation 1.5 FSU immigrants exhibited less favorable attitudes toward volunteerism than NBIs. FSUs also rated career motivations for volunteerism significantly higher than NBIs, and values significantly lower than NBIs. Significant differences were found between motivations for volunteering among each cohort, separately, as well. In the context of mass immigration, re-socialization regarding volunteering among Generation 1.5 FSU immigrants living 2-3 decades in Israel appears relatively weak, possibly attributable to FSU policy and culture in opposition to independent volunteerism.

Social and Economic Exchange Between Social Workers and their Employers in the Context of their Sectorial Affiliation and Seniority.

Partial privatization creates organizational hybrids that can generate conflict between professional and institutional logic among social workers. Research is scant but necessary to identify better organizational approaches. Using the social and economic exchange (SEE) model, we examined Israeli social workers' perception of their relationships with their workplaces. To examine organizational affiliation and seniority impact on SEE, we conducted a two-way ANOVA on data from 824 social workers: 55.1% from government sector (GSO) 30.8% from 'third sector' (TSO), and 14.1% from for-profit sector (FPO) organizations. Our findings showed the SEE model identified ways organizations and their social workers manage sector hybridity. Social exchange among TSO social workers was higher than GSOs, but similar to FPOs. Economic exchange was higher in FPOs, compared to GSOs. Seniority related only to economic exchange, possibly signaling change among newer social workers. TSOs must strengthen their social exchange to maintain their advantage among social workers.

The Big Five Personality Traits as Predictors of Loneliness among Older Men in Israel.

Loneliness may have complex implications for the mental and physical health of older people. It could have unique expressions among older men due to the social construction of gender, which raises an expectation that men should be strong, assertive, and capable of independently coping with their difficulties. As a result, older men suffering from loneliness may avoid talking about it and seeking help for this matter. The Big Five personality traits were found to be associated with many life domains, including loneliness, yet this issue has received limited research attention with regard to older adults in general and older men in particular. Therefore, the current study explores the contribution of the Big Five personality traits to understanding loneliness among older men in Israel, while controlling for several demographic factors. The data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to a sample of 392 older men. The results indicate that agreeableness, emotional stability, and openness to experiences were negatively associated with older men's loneliness. In addition, no association was found between extraversion and conscientiousness and respondents' loneliness, and no significant association was found between age and loneliness, and being employed and being in a relationship were associated with lower levels of loneliness. The conclusion is that it is important that professionals working with older men utilize the Big Five personality traits to understand loneliness and offer them interventions for reducing their loneliness. Furthermore, it is essential to promote social awareness of the importance of intimate relationships, as well as of employment, in the old age.

Self-Reported Likelihood of Seeking Social Worker Help Among Older Men in Israel.

The current study assessed the association between demographic factors (age, relationship status, and education), psychosocial factors (self-rated health and self-reported loneliness), and factors related to attitudes and behaviors associated with seeking help (prior experience with social workers, attitudes towards social workers, and the stigma attached to seeking help from social workers, and the self-reported likelihood of seeking social workers' help among older men in Israel. The data were collected through structured questionnaires, administered to a sample of 256 older men. The findings indicated several avoidance factors which might discourage older men from seeking social worker help. Older men who are more educated, experience less loneliness, report lower self-rated health, have no prior experience with social workers, have less positive attitudes towards social workers and higher stigma attached to seeking social workers' help, are less likely to seek social workers' help. The research conclusion is that it is important to develop tools and interventions aimed at helping older men deal with such avoidance factors affecting their tendency to refrain from seeking social worker help, as well as to develop practices adapted to their unique needs.