JOB TASK AND ORGANIZATIONAL PREDICTORS OF SOCIAL-WORKER JOB-SATISFACTION CHANGE - A PANEL STUDY

The author examines the effect change in job task and organizational characteristics have on social workers' job satisfaction change. Data from a 1989 survey and a 1990 follow-up study of 873 social workers are used to examine job satisfaction change. Regression analysis with change score measures found that both change in job task and organizational characteristics contribute toward change in social workers' job satifaction. The significant job task predictors were change in job autonomy and change in satisfaction with clients. The significant organizational predictors were change in professional development opportunities, change in supervisor support, and change in adequacy of organizational resources. The implications of these findings for human service organizations and for the profession of social work are discussed.