Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Paraprofessionals: An Empirical Comparison

Authors

John E. Blount Jr., Georgia State University
Kirk W. Elifson, Georgia State University
William Chamberlain, Regional Institute of Social Welfare Research

Abstract

This paper provides a comparative description of indigenous and nonindigenous paraprofessionals who were employed in a social service capacity in a large urban setting. Personal interviews were conducted with 88 paraprofessionals employed by the Fulton County Department of Family and Children Servives (Atlanta, Ga.). The primary variables discussed include an assessment of the respondent's background, their present employment situation, experience with and attitudes toward welfare and general attitudinal measures. The results provide a basic demographic profile of the indigenous and non-indigenous paraprofessional and indicate their differing characteristics. Briefly, the indigenous respondents were less anomic, felt more efficacious in terms of helping clients, had a less favorable stance toward welfare, had less training and were considerably more more satisfied with their job than were their non-indigenous counterparts. Additionally, the implications of these findings and considerations which need to be explored in future research are discussed.

Recommended Citation

Blount, John E. Jr.; Elifson, Kirk W.; and Chamberlain, William (1977) "Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Paraprofessionals: An Empirical Comparison," The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare: Vol. 4: Iss. 6, Article 15.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.15453/0191-5096.1214
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jssw/vol4/iss6/15