Effective Interventions to Reduce Burnout in Social Workers: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Abstract Social workers are at risk of developing burnout, which is associated with many adverse implications including increased risk of depression. A number of intervention studies have aimed to reduce burnout in this population; however, a systematic review of the evidence has yet to be performed. This review therefore aimed to fill that gap. A comprehensive search of major academic databases was conducted and the inclusion criteria were interventions that reported pre- and post-measures of burnout outcomes within a population of qualified social workers. Of the 2,456 records identified, nine were included in the review. Results showed that a number of burnout interventions have been developed for social workers, including mindfulness-based interventions, group-based skills training, exercise and taking a sabbatical. However, the overall quality of the studies was poor and therefore definitive recommendations for effective interventions could not be offered. Mindfulness-based and group skills development interventions warrant further investigation and organisational or institutional change to tackle burnout, alongside individual-level interventions, is crucial. It was concluded that future burnout intervention researchers should implement a greater methodological rigour, use theory to underpin intervention approaches, adopt a longitudinal design where possible, and administer validated measures of burnout.