Decision-maker influences and perceptual disparities in child maltreatment among Chinese child social workers: The mediating impact of social work professional identity

Abstract Understanding perception of child maltreatment is pivotal for the identification and mitigation of risks to vulnerable children. Nonetheless, research that explores the determinants influencing these perceptions, particularly from the perspective of child social workers, has remained limited. This study proposes a mediation model where two facets of social work professional identity mediate the relationship between decision-maker characteristics (gender, professional qualification, and graduate education) and perception of child maltreatment among Chinese child social workers. Data were derived from a nationally representative sample of 3,085 Chinese child social workers. Key variables were analyzed using chi-square tests across three decision-maker factors. The proposed mediation model was tested through structural equation modeling. We found a significant association between gender and perception of child maltreatment among child social workers. Additionally, the associations of graduate education and professional qualification with perception of child maltreatment were mediated through social work professional identity, which operates through various mechanisms. We emphasize the necessity for policymakers, professional organizations, and academic institutions to construct a cohesive framework that prevents identity crises within the social work profession. Moreover, we underscore the critical need for adopting prevention-oriented strategies to bolster the ability of social workers to effectively identify instances of child maltreatment.