The effect of Happiness-Building activities for medical social workers at Chulalongkorn

Abstract

The study of the effect of Happiness-Building activities for medical social workers at Chulalongkorn Hospital aims to test the activities, compare score and study the factors used to predict the change in happiness, professional quality of life, and stress of medical social workers at Chulalongkorn Hospital during pre- mid- and post-experiments during January to June 2022. A total of 31 participants is medical social workers in Chulalongkorn Hospital. Demographic data, HAPPINOMETER, Professional Quality of life Scale (ProQOL-5), Suanprung Stress Test-20 (SPST-20), and 6-activity programs were applied. The Descriptive statistics were used to report the general characteristics of the participants, and inferential statistics, repeated measure ANOVA analysis of variance to test the difference within the group from baseline to after the program. Additionally, Multiple Linear Regression was used to find factors related to changes in happiness.

The study reveals that 1) Happiness-Building activities did not lead to a positive change in the happiness, professional quality of life and stress in pre – mid- and post-activity programs; 2) The results shows participants are still in ‘happy’ level in all 9 different dimension of happiness, gain moderate Professional quality of life and high-stress levels. Their scores are not significantly different scores at pre-activity test; 3) Each baseline is able to predict the dependent variables in a positive direction (p<0.001). Also, age, gender, hobby, and attending rate are able to predict the participants’ happiness, quality of life and stress (p<0.05). Males have tendency to be less happy in Social Happiness dimensions and more stress than females. Senior social workers experience less stress and secondary traumatic stress than junior social workers. Hobbies result in stress reduction from secondary traumatic stress and burnout. 4) Suggestions to increase happiness, quality of life for social workers and reduce stress is that the hospital should promote activities and training especially toward junior social workers. Activities may involve strategies to deal with stress or encourage the exchange of knowledge, advice a from senior social workers. The hospital should encourage social workers to have hobbies to reduce stress. Lastly, persons in charge or supervisors should provide advice and continue to promote services for good mental health.