AI Insight
This cross-sectional study of 1,226 nurses in Chinese hospitals examined relationships between emotional regulation, positive affect, professional benefit perception, and job satisfaction. The research found that emotional regulation was positively associated with job satisfaction, with positive affect serving as a partial mediator in this relationship. Professional benefit perception showed an independent positive association with job satisfaction but did not moderate the relationship between emotional regulation and job satisfaction.
Why it matters
These findings suggest that interventions targeting nurses' emotional regulation skills and fostering positive affect could potentially improve job satisfaction in healthcare settings. Understanding these psychological mechanisms may help healthcare organizations develop more effective strategies to support nursing staff wellbeing and retention, though longitudinal studies are needed to establish causal relationships.
Understand the Science
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationships among nurses’ emotional regulation, positive affect, professional benefit perception, and job satisfaction, with a particular focus on the mediating role of positive affect.MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among nurses from three mainland Chinese hospitals. Data from 1,226 nurses were collected using validated scales: the Nurse Job Satisfaction Scale, Nurse Emotional Regulation Scale, Professional Benefit Perception Scale, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 27.0 and the PROCESS macro to test the hypothesized model.ResultsNurses’ emotional regulation and positive affect were significantly and positively associated with job satisfaction. Professional benefit perception was also independently and positively associated with job satisfaction alongside emotional regulation. However, no significant moderating effect of professional benefit perception was observed on the relationship between emotional regulation and job satisfaction.ConclusionEmotional regulation was positively associated with job satisfaction, and positive affect partially mediated this association in the tested statistical model. Professional benefit perception showed an independent positive association with job satisfaction but did not significantly moderate the association between emotional regulation and job satisfaction. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify temporal and causal relationships.Implications for nursing managementThis study provides empirical evidence from China’s healthcare system, clarifying the interplay between emotional regulation and job satisfaction. The findings may inform the development and future evaluation of interventions targeting nurses’ psychological resources and workplace experiences.