Scales and Descriptions

The Child Welfare Worker Survey

Depersonalization: Workers become emotionally detached from clients.
Desire to Help: Workers want to help others.
Self Efficacy: Workers believe that they can help children and families.
Work Load: Is case load and paperwork manageable?
Skills Match: Staff are doing work they feel prepared to do and that fits their family life.
Realistic Job Portrayal: Workers had an accurate understanding of their job responsibilities when they accepted the position.

All Items are measured using a 6-point scale:

Q6R*—At times I find myself not really caring about what happens to some of these children.
Q7R*—I have become more callous towards people since I took this job.
Q8R*—I worry this job is hardening me emotionally.
Q9R*—It’s hard to feel close to the children I serve.

Q1—I chose this profession because I want to help others.
Q2—I would delay personal plans in order to help a client who needs assistance.
Q3—I often find myself worrying about specific families or children.
Q4—It bothers me that some clients don’t receive the services they deserve.
Q5—My work offers me opportunities to affect the safety and well-being of children.
Q103—My work offers opportunities to make a difference.

Q10R*—I feel I’m working hard on my job but rarely see results.
Q11—I remain motivated and persist in helping children and families overcome obstacles.
Q13—I rebound and persist after setbacks in efforts to accomplish work goals.
Q14—I effectively provide social work interventions with families.
Q15—I am proud of my work.
Q43—This agency inspires my very best job performance.
Q102—I am confident in my ability to perform this job.
Q104—I feel a sense of personal accomplishment through my work.

Q89—There is a good match between the duties of this job and my skills and interests.
Q90—There is a good fit between my family life and work life.
Q91—The work I’m doing now suits me.
Q93—I intend to remain in public child welfare as my long-term professional career.
Q95—If I could do it all over again, I would still choose social work as my profession.
Q97—I am committed to working in child welfare even though it can be quite stressful at times.

Q85—When I took this job, the expectations I had about my professional responsibilities match my actual responsibilities.
Q86—Interviewers for the agency give job applicants an accurate picture of the work and the agency.
Q88—I was given enough information to make an informed decision about the reality of this job.

* Item is reverse scored so that a higher score is better