The Occupational and Mental Well-Being of Social Work Professionals in Kyrgyzstan

Background and Purpose: Social work is a somewhat new and underdeveloped profession in Kyrgyzstan. According to UNICEF, there were 198 social workers in Kyrgyzstan in 2023. Since the early 2000s, non-governmental organizations have become more active in the country, expanding the incipient social work profession. Kyrgyzstan’s social workers tend to be undertrained, underpaid, and unprotected but face large workloads and weak support from government institutions, creating a situation that can lead to burnout, poor mental health, and a high turnover rate. The demanding job conditions of social work frequently leave workers frustrated with their jobs, negatively impacting the quality, consistency, and stability of client services. The current study explores challenges identified by service providers in Kyrgyzstan to identify ways to improve occupational and mental health outcomes for individuals in the SW profession.

Methods: The sample included in-depth interviews with 83 service providers involved in criminal justice (32), public health (9), education (5), and social welfare sectors (37). The participants were encouraged to discuss any information they believed was relevant to gain more comprehensive insights into their working conditions and the mental health implications of their occupational challenges. Grounded theory methods were used to collect and analyze the data.

Results: The study found that secondary trauma was high among social workers, leading to burnout and physical and mental health risks. The social workers expressed that much of their work was not recognized by the government, the general population, or even the clients they served. Nevertheless, they expressed a strong motivation to continue in the profession because of the positive impact their work could have on people's lives. The study found that the existing social work curriculum does not adequately prepare students for the emotionally distressing situations they could face in the real world, making them vulnerable to trauma. Social workers expressed moral distress because they were continually unable to provide the level of service their clients needed because of the lack of funding to fulfill official duties, lack of standardized shelters, crisis centers, and procedural red tape, leading to an inefficient working environment.

Conclusions: This study found that social work professionals in Kyrgyzstan face challenges that impact burnout at the personal and professional levels, negatively affecting the quality of the services to their clients. Social work curricula should emphasize interventions to help social workers cope with stress and increase awareness about strategies to prevent burnout. The findings highlight the need for social work professionals to focus on their mental health and to be given due importance and resources at all levels. The government should prioritize improving social workers' working conditions and providing them with adequate resources to help them serve their clients better. Future research should explore factors that mitigate the adverse effects of burnout on the health and morale of social work professionals on the personal and professional fronts. Advocacy programs for the occupational well-being of social work professionals should be started by an umbrella organization that looks out for the overall well-being of service providers involved in human services.