A saúde mental dos assistentes sociais em Portugal

Abstract

The present study analyzes the mental health of Portuguese social workers, as well as its relationship with some demographic and socio-professional variables. Quantitative methods applied included a questionnaire for demographic and socio-professional characterization of social workers and the application of the General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) to evaluate psychopathological symptomatology. From the results obtained it is concluded that, according to GHQ-28, approximately 18% of Portuguese social workers are emotionally disturbed. Their most significant symptoms are social dysfunction, anxiety and insomnia.
Social workers who wish to change their workplace, who wish to change profession, who present dissatisfaction with their salary, dissatisfaction with institutional objectives, who are subject to high bureaucracy and high time
pressures present higher levels in all symptoms and in the total scale.