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. 2021 Nov 25:12:779396.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.779396. eCollection 2021.

Effects of Optimism on Work Satisfaction Among Nurses: A Mediation Model Through Work-Family Conflict

Weiyu Zhang  1 , Zhen Zheng  2 , Romana Pylypchuk  3 , Jinfeng Zhao  3 , Kristin K Sznajder  4 , Can Cui  1 , Xiaoshi Yang  1
Affiliations

Effects of Optimism on Work Satisfaction Among Nurses: A Mediation Model Through Work-Family Conflict

Weiyu Zhang et al. Front Psychiatry. .

Abstract

Background: Nurses are suffering from various stressors which adversely impact their work satisfaction and mental health. Research is scarce on optimism, one of the positive psychological resource which may reduce work-family conflict and improve work satisfaction. Objectives: This study aims to assess work satisfaction among Chinese nurses and to observe and illustrate the relationships among optimism, work-family conflict, and work satisfaction. Methods: This study was designed as a cross-sectional study with stratified sampling. From September 2019 to December 2020, a self-administered WeChat questionnaire was collected from 768 nurses online in China to evaluate the nurses' work satisfaction, optimism, and work-family conflict. Spearman correlation and hierarchical multiple regression analysis were applied to examine associated factors of work satisfaction. A structural equation model was employed to test the mediating effect of work-family conflict in the relationship between optimism and work satisfaction. Results: Optimism were observed to have a positive correlation with work satisfaction while the correlation between work-family conflict and work satisfaction was observed to be negative. Optimism and work-family conflict explained 4.8 and 9.2% of the incremental variances of work satisfaction, respectively. Work-family conflict served as a mediator in the relationship between optimism and work satisfaction. Conclusions: Nurses in China experienced high levels of work satisfaction. Optimism could increase the chance of higher work satisfaction while work-family conflict increased the risk of lower work satisfaction. Psychological interventions and improvement of working conditions are essential to relieve work-family conflicts and enhance work satisfaction.

Keywords: mental health; nurses; optimism; work satisfaction; work-family conflict.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Baseline characteristics of the nurses.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Forest plot of associate factors of work satisfaction.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Standardized solution for the structural equation model of optimism and work satisfaction. **P < 0.01.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Standardized solution for the structural equation model of work-family conflict, optimism, and work satisfaction. **P < 0.01.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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