Title: The effect of competence on intention to quit among substance abuse social workers: Sequential mediation of role conflict and job burnout
ABSTRACT：This study aimed to examine the effect of competence on intention to quit among Chinese substance abuse social workers while also exploring the sequential mediating effects of role conflict and job burnout on this relationship. Data were collected from 668 substance abuse social workers participating in 21 community drug rehabilitation projects across 14 social work agencies based in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan, and Zhongshan in Guangdong Province, China. A cluster sampling method was utilized for data collection. Analysis was conducted using the SPSS and Model 6 of Hayes’s PROCESS macro. The findings revealed that: (1) the direct effect of competence on the intention to quit was not statistically significant; (2) both role conflict and job burnout exhibited significant mediating effects between competence and the intention to quit, with a notable sequential mediation effect. It is essential to strengthen the training and supervision of substance abuse social workers to enhance their competence, while focusing on mediating role conflict and preventing job burnout. This approach is expected to promote team stability among substance abuse social workers and facilitate the high-quality development of community drug rehabilitation services.
KEYWORDS：Competence; intention to quit; job burnout; role conflict; sequential mediation
DOI: 10.1080/00981389.2026.2675218
