The Moderating Effect of Professional Self-Care Training on Novice Practitioners' Organizational Citizenship Behavior...

Due to recent challenges and the great burdens faced by social workers to provide social services, self-care is becoming more and more important to research and practice. This study empirically tested the long-term impact of self-care training provided during MSW education. In line with previous research on self-care among other social services practitioners, the panel data of MSW graduates nationwide showed the longitudinal impact of the self-care training in MSW programs on their organizational citizenship behaviors (OCBs) as novice practitioners. Specifically, authors identify self-care as a critical work contextual moderator of the effects of supervisor behavior, workplace social capital, and burnout on OCB. The study offers implications for education, practice, research, and the culture of the profession in China, and explicates the utility of the findings of self-care training's impact for practitioners, students, educators, social service agency supervisors, and organizational and professional leaders. It is crucial to create a "culture of self-care" by integrating self-care in education and building a healthy workplace culture, which may shed light on how to sustain the social work profession in China and globally.