Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Professional Dissonance: Colliding Values and Job Tasks in Mental Health Practice

  • Published:
Community Mental Health Journal Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between individual and job characteristics of mental health social workers and professional dissonance—an experienced conflict between values and job tasks. A 33-item questionnaire, designed specifically for the study’s purposes was utilized. A total of 320 usable study questionnaires were returned (44.5% response rate). The primary study hypothesis, that professional dissonance is related to individual and job characteristics, was partially supported by the data. While job characteristics appeared to have little influence on dissonance, several individual characteristics of the respondents were statistically related to level of dissonance. Specifically, men with the most years of experience and with lower reported attachment to self-determination reported higher levels of dissonance. Study participants affirmed the importance of life-long supervision in managing dissonance in practice.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • K. J. Bentley (1993) ArticleTitleThe right of psychiatric patients to refuse medications: Where should social worker’s stand? Social Work 38 101–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Bentley, K. J., & Taylor, M. F. (2002). Assisted outpatient treatment/commitment: A step forward or backward for mental health systems and clients? In H. J. Karger, & J. Midgeley (Eds.), Controversial issues in social policy (2nd Ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon

  • D. L. Dennis J. Monahan (Eds) (1996) Coercion and aggressive community treatment: A new frontier in mental health law Plenum Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Dewees (2002) ArticleTitleContested landscape: The role of critical dialogue for social workers in mental health practice The Journal of Progressive Human Services 13 IssueID1 73–91

    Google Scholar 

  • V. E. Frankl (1988) The will to meaning: Foundations and applications of logotherapy EditionNumberExpanded Ed. Penguin Books NY

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Festinger (1962) A theory of cognitive dissonance Stanford University Press Stanford

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Festinger (1964) Conflict, decision, and dissonance Stanford University Press Stanford, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Festinger J. M. Carlsmith (1959) ArticleTitleCognitive consequences of forced compliance Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 58 203–210

    Google Scholar 

  • S. Freedberg (1989) ArticleTitleSelf-determination: Historical perspectives and effects on current practice Social Work 34 33–38

    Google Scholar 

  • E. Harmon-Jones J. Mills (Eds) (1999) Cognitive dissonance: Progress on a pivotal theory in social psychology American Psychological Association Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Kutchins S. A. Kirk (1997) Making us crazy: DSM: The psychiatric bible and the creation of mental disorders The Free Press New York

    Google Scholar 

  • F. M. Loewenberg R. Dolgoff Harrington (2000) Ethical decisions for social work practice EditionNumber6th Ed. F.E. Peacock Itasca, IL

    Google Scholar 

  • S. R. Maddi (1996) Personality theories: A comparative analysis EditionNumber6th Ed. Cole Publishing Brooks

    Google Scholar 

  • Margolin, L. (1997). Under the cover of Kindness: The invention of social work. Charlottesville, VA: The University Press of Virginia

  • R. May (1983) The discovery of being W.W. Norton & Company New York

    Google Scholar 

  • T. Mizrahi (1992) ArticleTitleThe right to treatment and the treatment of mentally ill people Health and Social Work 17 IssueID1 7–12

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Moran (2000) ArticleTitleCoercion or caring? American Medical News 43 26–31

    Google Scholar 

  • A. D. Murdach (1996) ArticleTitleBeneficence re-examined: Protective intervention in mental health Social Work 41 26–31

    Google Scholar 

  • M. K. Rosenson (1993) ArticleTitleSocial work and the right of psychiatric patients to refuse medication: A family advocate’s response [Point and Viewpoint] Social Work 38 107–112

    Google Scholar 

  • E. Saks (2002) Forced treatment and the rights of the mentally ill University of Chicago Press Chicago

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, M. F., & Bentley, K. J. (2004). Changing conceptualizations of mental health and mental illness: Implications of “brain disease” and “behavioral health” for social work. Social Work in Mental Health, 2(4), 1--16

    Google Scholar 

  • Torrey, E. F., & Zdanowicz, M. (2002). Assisted outpatient treatment/commitment: A step forward or backward for mental health systems and clients? In H. J. Karger, & J. Midgeley (Eds.), Controversial issues in social policy (2nd Ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social Work, University of North Carolina, P.O. Box 26170, Greensboro, NC, 27402-6170, USA

    Melissa Floyd Taylor Ph.D., L.C.S.W.

  2. Doctoral program, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1001 W. Franklin, Richmond, VA, 23284-2027, USA

    Kia J. Bentley Ph.D., L.C.S.W.

Authors
  1. Melissa Floyd Taylor Ph.D., L.C.S.W.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kia J. Bentley Ph.D., L.C.S.W.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Melissa Floyd Taylor Ph.D., L.C.S.W..

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Taylor, M.F., Bentley, K.J. Professional Dissonance: Colliding Values and Job Tasks in Mental Health Practice. Community Ment Health J 41, 469–480 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-005-5084-9

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-005-5084-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation