Orientation toward Clients in a Public Welfare Agency.

A study of a public welfare agency indicated that bureaucratic constraints became internalized and thus limited service to clients. But adaptation to bureaucratic procedures lessened rigidity and thus promoted case-work service. Many newcomers experienced a "reality shock," to which they often reacted by losing interest in the welfare of clients. For integrated workers, however, social support from colleagues absorbed the impact of this reality shock. While unintegrated workers tended to lose concern in their cases after having been with the agency for some time, integrated workers were much less likely to do so. Peer group support apparently made workers less dependent on clients and less ego-defensive in their reactions to conflicts, which enabled them to maintain a concern with the welfare of clients and give more case-work service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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