The Mediating Role of Resilience in the Relationship between Perceived Stress and Mental Health

Mariela Loreto Lara-Cabrera, Moisés Betancort, C. Amparo Muñoz-Rubilar, Natalia Rodríguez Novo and Carlos De las Cuevas
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Mariela Loreto Lara-Cabrera: Department of Research and Development, Division of Mental Health, St Olav’s University Hospital, 7006 Trondheim, Norway
Moisés Betancort: Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychobiology and Methodology, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
C. Amparo Muñoz-Rubilar: Faculty of Health Sciences, Nursing School, Universidad Central de Chile, Santiago 8370178, Chile
Natalia Rodríguez Novo: Department of Nursing, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
Carlos De las Cuevas: Department of Internal Medicine, Dermatology and Psychiatry, Universidad de La Laguna, 38200 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-10

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has created great uncertainty around the world, and due to the pandemic, nurses have been exposed to an increase in highly stressful clinical situations. This study examines the relationships between perceived stress and emotional disorders among nurses who have provided direct patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic and explores the mediating role of resilience in these relationships. In an online cross-sectional design, we asked Spanish nurses ( N = 214) to complete self-reported scales, and we performed correlation and mediation analyses between perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale, PSS-4), resilience (Wagnild Resilience Scale, RS-14), wellbeing (World Health Organization Wellbeing Index, five items, WHO-5), anxiety (PHQ-2) and depression (GAD-2). The nurses self-reported moderate levels of perceived stress, considerable psychological distress and high resilience. We found resilience to be significantly negatively correlated with the reported levels of perceived stress, anxiety and depression ( p < 0.001). The mediating analysis revealed that resilience played a protective role in the direct relationships of stress with depression, anxiety, and psychological distress. To conclude, our findings supported the hypothesis that resilience mediated the relationship between stress and mental health.

Keywords: perceived stress; resilience; nurses; COVID-19 pandemic; descriptive survey study (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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