The mediating role of empathy in relationships between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spiritual care among Turkish nurses; a structural equation modelling

Abstract Aim This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between nurses’ conscientious intelligence, their empathy levels and perception of spirituality and spiritual care. The study also aimed to determine whether empathy mediates the relationship between conscientious intelligence and pe...

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Main Authors: Seçil Ergin Doğan, Hakime Aslan, Abdurrahman Akçin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-07-01
Series:BMC Nursing
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03468-0
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author Seçil Ergin Doğan
Hakime Aslan
Abdurrahman Akçin
author_facet Seçil Ergin Doğan
Hakime Aslan
Abdurrahman Akçin
author_sort Seçil Ergin Doğan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Aim This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between nurses’ conscientious intelligence, their empathy levels and perception of spirituality and spiritual care. The study also aimed to determine whether empathy mediates the relationship between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. Materials and methods This is a descriptive study with correlational design. This study was conducted with 315 nurses working in a training and research hospital in the east of Turkey. ‘Conscientious Intelligence Scale (CIS)’, ‘Empathy Quotient Scale (EQS)’ and ‘Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS)’ are data collection tools. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25 and AMOS version 26 software. Results It was determined that there was a weak positive significant relationship between nurses’ conscientious intelligence (CIS) levels and empathy levels (EQS) (r:0.219, p < 0.001), a moderate positive significant relationship between conscientious intelligence (CIS) and perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care (SSCRS) (r:0.373, p < 0.001), and a moderate positive significant relationship between empathy level (EQS) and perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care (SSCRS) (r:0.351, p < 0.001). In addition, empathy mediates the relationship between conscientious intelligence and perception of spirituality and spiritual care (Two Tailed Significance value is 0.02 and below 95% confidence interval). Conclusion As a result, a significant relationship was found between nurses’ levels of conscientious intelligence and their perceptions of empathy and perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. Additionally, empathy was found to mediate the relationship between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. In this context, it is recommended that training programmes be organised to improve nurses’ conscientious intelligence and spiritual care perceptions, and that various strategies such as reflective thinking and case-based training be applied to improve empathy skills. Furthermore, spiritual care, conscientious values, and communication skills should be incorporated more into nursing education curricula. Clinical trial number Not applicable.
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spelling doaj-art-00b6b166e32f41f6906dcb805f4cb2cb2025-08-20T03:45:19ZengBMCBMC Nursing1472-69552025-07-0124111310.1186/s12912-025-03468-0The mediating role of empathy in relationships between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spiritual care among Turkish nurses; a structural equation modellingSeçil Ergin Doğan0Hakime Aslan1Abdurrahman Akçin2Department of Fundamental of Nursing, Institute of Health Sciences, Inonu UniversityDepartment of Fundamental of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Inonu UniversityDepartment of Fundamentals of Nursing, Faculty of Health Sciences, Turgut Ozal UniversityAbstract Aim This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between nurses’ conscientious intelligence, their empathy levels and perception of spirituality and spiritual care. The study also aimed to determine whether empathy mediates the relationship between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. Materials and methods This is a descriptive study with correlational design. This study was conducted with 315 nurses working in a training and research hospital in the east of Turkey. ‘Conscientious Intelligence Scale (CIS)’, ‘Empathy Quotient Scale (EQS)’ and ‘Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS)’ are data collection tools. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 25 and AMOS version 26 software. Results It was determined that there was a weak positive significant relationship between nurses’ conscientious intelligence (CIS) levels and empathy levels (EQS) (r:0.219, p < 0.001), a moderate positive significant relationship between conscientious intelligence (CIS) and perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care (SSCRS) (r:0.373, p < 0.001), and a moderate positive significant relationship between empathy level (EQS) and perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care (SSCRS) (r:0.351, p < 0.001). In addition, empathy mediates the relationship between conscientious intelligence and perception of spirituality and spiritual care (Two Tailed Significance value is 0.02 and below 95% confidence interval). Conclusion As a result, a significant relationship was found between nurses’ levels of conscientious intelligence and their perceptions of empathy and perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. Additionally, empathy was found to mediate the relationship between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. In this context, it is recommended that training programmes be organised to improve nurses’ conscientious intelligence and spiritual care perceptions, and that various strategies such as reflective thinking and case-based training be applied to improve empathy skills. Furthermore, spiritual care, conscientious values, and communication skills should be incorporated more into nursing education curricula. Clinical trial number Not applicable.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03468-0EmpathyConscientious intelligenceSpiritualitySpiritual careNursesTürkiye
spellingShingle Seçil Ergin Doğan
Hakime Aslan
Abdurrahman Akçin
The mediating role of empathy in relationships between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spiritual care among Turkish nurses; a structural equation modelling
BMC Nursing
Empathy
Conscientious intelligence
Spirituality
Spiritual care
Nurses
Türkiye
title The mediating role of empathy in relationships between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spiritual care among Turkish nurses; a structural equation modelling
title_full The mediating role of empathy in relationships between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spiritual care among Turkish nurses; a structural equation modelling
title_fullStr The mediating role of empathy in relationships between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spiritual care among Turkish nurses; a structural equation modelling
title_full_unstemmed The mediating role of empathy in relationships between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spiritual care among Turkish nurses; a structural equation modelling
title_short The mediating role of empathy in relationships between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spiritual care among Turkish nurses; a structural equation modelling
title_sort mediating role of empathy in relationships between conscientious intelligence and perceptions of spiritual care among turkish nurses a structural equation modelling
topic Empathy
Conscientious intelligence
Spirituality
Spiritual care
Nurses
Türkiye
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-025-03468-0
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