A Statewide Study of Correlates of Intention to Remain Employed in Child Welfare: Perspectives of Experienced and Inexperienced Child Protective Services (CPS) Workers

Background and Purpose: This paper describes the results of initial research to develop a new Human Services Inventory (HSI) for new CPS job applicants. Included are the results pertaining to inexperienced (no prior experience job applicants) and experienced (three years or more of employment) CPS workers. The context for collecting and analyzing data for CPS staff was the initial development of a Human Service Inventory (HSI) for new CPS job applicants.  

Problem Statement: During the last decade, numerous studies have been completed that focus on personal and organizational correlates of child welfare employees’ intentions to remain employed IRE) in child welfare. No studies are known that have focused on the comparison of experienced and inexperienced CW workers’ perspectives and linkages to IRE.

 

Major Objective:  The major objective of this study was to identify inexperienced and experienced CPS workers’ perspectives’ about job-related behaviors and the extent to which these correlates are related to a measure of employee’s IRE.

Research Questions: 

1. Do inexperienced and experienced CPS workers differ in their perceptions of personal characteristics and the work environment as these relate to IRE in child welfare?

2. What is the relationship between perceptions of job-related characteristics and IRE in CPS (child welfare)?           

Methods: A large, random sample of inexperienced CPS job applicants (N=538) and experienced CPS staff (N=624) was selected from these populations using the state agency data base. These participants completed a web-based survey of CPS practices judged as outcomes-based.  A series of bivariate and multivariate (regression) analyses was completed using behavioral (self) assessments of job performance indicators and a measure of IRE in CPS. ANOVA comparisons were made between the inexperienced and experienced employees for five HSI components previously developed/verified by Principal Components Analyses.

Key Results of the study were as follows:

 

• Five HSI measurement components were identified through prior Principal Components Analyses (# of items and Alpha coefficients are in parentheses):

 

1. Receptivity to Client Needs and Professional Relationships (17, .94)

2. Professional Commitment (11, .87))

3. Work Stress Tolerance and Resilience (7, .88)

4. Client Interactions and Effects (10, .93)

5. Intent to Remain Employed (10, .79)

ANOVA comparisons between inexperienced and experienced groups using the HSI components showed higher ratings for the experienced group than for the inexperienced group (p<.000).  The strongest bivariate correlation was between the IRE variable and the HSI Work Stress Tolerance and Resilience component (r=.57). Regression analyses showed that multiple HSI components  (e.g., adding Professional Commitment) increased the value of R from .57 to .68 (p<.001).

Conclusions and Implications:  The results of this study show that the primary HSI assessment component positively correlated with IRE (p<.000) was a measure of Work Stress Tolerance and Resilience followed by Professional Commitment. Additionally, experienced workers demonstrated stronger agreement between the HSI behavioral assessments and IRE than inexperienced workers. Implications of these results will be discussed in the full paper.