Work stress and coping strategies among social workers: A case of Northern Uganda

Abstract

Social workers are exposed to potent stressors due to the nature of their work. The study examined work stress and coping strategies among social workers in Northern Uganda. The target population consisted of 353 social workers in Northern Uganda. Simple random sampling was employed to select 188 respondents. Descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to assess the level of stress while researcher developed questionnaires captured both the contributing and mitigating factors. The findings established that majority of the respondents (91%) had high stress levels. Significant factors contributing to stress included finances, work demand, safety concerns, family and violence from the rebels. The most effective mitigating strategies for job stress included spirituality, planning, goal setting, time-management and positive thinking. It was recommended that stress reduction programs and strategies be implemented to mitigate work stress.