Social workers' experiences of client violence: A mixed method research from an intersectionality perspective

Client violence is a traumatic professional experience that social workers face during their professional practice. In the study conducted using the intersectionality approach, it was investigated whether intersectional factors such as age, gender, marital status, education level, professional experience, place of work, sector of work, field of work, client group and caseload of social workers differentiate the experience of client violence of social workers. In the study, which was designed as a mixed method research, quantitative and qualitative data were collected together and an answer to the research question was sought. Within the scope of the quantitative data of the research, 401 social workers were reached and analyzes were conducted with 261 social workers who were exposed to client violence during their professional practices in the last year. The Turkish adaptation of the Client Violence Scale was made and the client violence experienced by social workers who experienced client violence in the last year was analyzed in terms of some related variables. During the validity and reliability analyses of the Client Violence Scale, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted using SPSS 21.0 Statistical Package Program and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted using AMOS program. Descriptive statistics and difference tests (t-test analysis, one-way analysis of variance-ANOVA) were used in the analyses conducted using SPSS 21.0 Statistical Package Program. Within the scope of the qualitative data of the study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 34 social workers who experienced client violence during their professional practices in the last year. The data obtained were analyzed using MaxQda Analytics Pro 2020 program. According to the quantitative findings of the research; it was found that 64% of 401 social workers were exposed to at least one of the types of client violence during their professional life and 65% during their professional practice in the last year. According to the results of t-test analysis and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), it was found that the level of client violence experienced by social workers did not differ in terms of age, gender, marital status, professional experience and sector of employment; there was a significant difference in the dimension of physical client violence and intimidation in terms of education level and performing their professional practices in the office; there was a significant difference in the sub-dimensions of physical client violence and intimidation and non-physical client violence and intimidation in terms of the most recent client group and caseload. According to the qualitative findings of the study, 6 themes were reached as a result of thematic analysis of the data obtained. According to the results obtained, it was found that intersectional factors such as age, gender, professional experience, place of work, sector of work, field of work, client group and caseload of social workers differentiated the experience of client violence. It was found that intersectional factors such as marital status and education level of social workers did not differentiate the experience of client violence. As a result of the research, recommendations were presented at individual level, professional level, institutional level and policy level in order to prevent client violence against social workers.