A Structural Model of Hope as an Antecedent of Lower Burnout and Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Child Welfare Workers

Job burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) are common consequences of the demanding nature of child welfare work; however, strategies to mitigate these psychological effects remain underexplored. This study examined a theoretical model positioning hope as a protective factor against burnout and STS, with burnout serving as an antecedent of STS, based on data from 964 child welfare professionals. The hypothesized model – higher hope leading to lower burnout, which in turn reduces STS – fits the data well (χ2 = 107.02; df = 12; p < .000; RMSEA = .091 [90% CI: .075, .107]; CFI = .979; SRMR = .033). The model explained a substantial variance in burnout (R2 = .290) and STS (R2 = .575). These findings suggest that enhancing hope among employees may reduce burnout and that addressing burnout could also alleviate STS. Organizational interventions targeting hope and burnout may therefore be effective in improving psychological outcomes for child welfare professionals.