Xie Caixia
Sichuan University, China
Title: Mindfulness, emotional intelligence and occupational burnout in intensive care nurses: A mediating effect model
Biography
Biography: Xie Caixia
Abstract
Background: The emotional intelligence of nurses is closely related to occupational burnout, and mindfulness can improve emotional intelligence. Theory and preliminary evidence suggest that emotional intelligence may mediate the relationship between ICU nurses’ mindfulness and occupational burnout, but further study is needed to validate this ï¬nding.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to test the mediating role of emotional intelligence between ICU nurses’ mindfulness and occupational burnout.
Design: A cross sectional study.
Settings: 29 ICUs in seven tertiary hospitals in domain city of Chengdu, China.
Participants: A sample of 883 ICU nurses.
Methods: Data on occupational burnout, mindfulness and emotional intelligence were collected by trained research assistants using the Meshach burnout inventory, mindful attention awareness scale and emotional intelligence scale, respectively. Socio-demographic data were collected by self-report. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to analyze correlations between variables. Mediation analysis was performed with structural equation modeling and indirect effects were evaluated with bootstrapping.
Results: The correlations between mindfulness, emotional intelligence, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and personal achievement were significant. In mediation models, emotional intelligence plays part mediating role in the relationship between mindfulness and emotional exhaustion, mindfulness and depersonalization. That is, the mindfulness factor cannot only influence emotional exhaustion or DE personification through emotional intelligence, but also directly influence emotional exhaustion or DE personification. Emotional intelligence plays a total mediating role in the relationship between mindfulness and personal achievement, that is, mindfulness does not have a direct impact on personal accomplishment, but indirectly affects personal accomplishment through emotional intelligence.
Conclusion: Mindfulness and emotional intelligence appears to be an important factor influencing occupational burnout of ICU nurses. Interventions addressing mindfulness and emotional intelligence should be considered as a way to improve occupational burnout in this population.