How to protect those who protect: psychosocial risks in child welfare workers during the pandemic

Child welfare professionals face elevated psychosocial risks, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet they are often overlooked in specialized literature, especially for Spanish workers. Most studies use linear models, neglecting nonlinear relationships. This study examined the role of job demands, resources, and COVID-19 impact on burnout, psychosomatic problems, and work engagement in 196 Spanish child welfare professionals. Demands predicted burnout and psychosomatic problems in both Hierarchical Regression Modelling (HRM) and Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). Resources positively predicted engagement in both analyses. COVID-19 impact was significantly related to psychosomatic problems in QCA, highlighting nuances not captured by HRM.