Qualité de vie professionnelle et bien-être au travail en protection de la jeunesse : l’influence des rôles de genre sur la violence au travail et ses conséquences
Exposure to workplace violence puts child protection workers at risk for adverse occupational outcomes. While previous studies have identified protective and risk factors, individual differences in gender roles have yet to be explored. Moving beyond sex, the present thesis aims to examine the ways in which gender roles influence exposure to workplace violence, professional quality of life and wellbeing at work among child protection workers. A randomised sample stratified by sex of 301 Canadian child protection workers (Male: 15.6%, Female: 84.4%) completed validated questionnaires of exposure to workplace violence, gender roles, professional quality of life, and wellbeing at work. Mean differences in workplace violence, professional quality of life, and wellbeing at work according to gender role were then assessed using ANCOVAs controlling for clinical experience and type of work. The moderating effect of gender roles on other variables was assessed through hierarchical multiple linear regressions. Androgyny (high masculinity and high femininity) was associated with higher scores on positive indicators of professional quality of life and wellbeing at work. However, gender roles showed no significant moderating effect on the relationship between exposure to violence and indicators of psychological wellbeing at work. Results show how gender-based analyses can provide additional insights into the dynamics surrounding professional quality of life and wellbeing at work. They also suggest that androgyny could be related to potential psychosocial benefits for child protection workers.
Child protection workers Gender roles Wellbeing at work Professional quality of life Workplace violence