Examining the relationship between nurse psychological capital and job burnout: a multilevel analysis across nurse, nurse leader, and nurse family perspectives

Abstract Background Nurse job burnout is a critical issue affecting medical quality and safety. Psychological capital (PsyCap) is associated with enhanced career satisfaction and reduced work stress. This study evaluates the relationship between nurses’ PsyCap and job burnout, while considering lead...

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Main Authors: Mengjie Xia, Junqiang Wang, Zhibin Wang, Dongjun Bi, Huiping Mao, Xiaohong Liu, Lili Feng, Chen Lili, Xiaoting Yan, Fang Huang, Rusli Nordin, Zainooriah Dato’ Hj. Zakaria
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-03-01
Series:Human Resources for Health
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-025-00986-5
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author Mengjie Xia
Junqiang Wang
Zhibin Wang
Dongjun Bi
Huiping Mao
Xiaohong Liu
Lili Feng
Chen Lili
Xiaoting Yan
Fang Huang
Rusli Nordin
Zainooriah Dato’ Hj. Zakaria
author_facet Mengjie Xia
Junqiang Wang
Zhibin Wang
Dongjun Bi
Huiping Mao
Xiaohong Liu
Lili Feng
Chen Lili
Xiaoting Yan
Fang Huang
Rusli Nordin
Zainooriah Dato’ Hj. Zakaria
author_sort Mengjie Xia
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Nurse job burnout is a critical issue affecting medical quality and safety. Psychological capital (PsyCap) is associated with enhanced career satisfaction and reduced work stress. This study evaluates the relationship between nurses’ PsyCap and job burnout, while considering leadership and family as contextual factors. Methods A cross-sectional study design was used, collecting data from 499 nurses via validated questionnaires. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression, were conducted to assess the relationship between PsyCap and job burnout. Leadership and family were included as contextual variables in hierarchical regression models to evaluate their indirect influences. Results Among nurses, 63.9% experienced mild to moderate burnout. The average PsyCap score was 107.88 ± 20.55. PsyCap showed a significant negative correlation with burnout dimensions (correlation coefficients: −0.43 to −0.53, p < 0.01). Higher PsyCap significantly predicted lower job burnout (β = −0.44, p < 0.01). Leadership and family influences had minor but noteworthy indirect effects on this relationship. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that higher levels of nurses’ PsyCap are associated with lower levels of job burnout. While these findings highlight PsyCap’s potential role in mitigating burnout, further research is needed to confirm causal relationships and assess the effectiveness of interventions aimed at enhancing PsyCap and supportive environments.
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spelling doaj-art-5c5b9a574ea3478e8dc58fb07846468b2025-08-20T02:10:23ZengBMCHuman Resources for Health1478-44912025-03-0123111110.1186/s12960-025-00986-5Examining the relationship between nurse psychological capital and job burnout: a multilevel analysis across nurse, nurse leader, and nurse family perspectivesMengjie Xia0Junqiang Wang1Zhibin Wang2Dongjun Bi3Huiping Mao4Xiaohong Liu5Lili Feng6Chen Lili7Xiaoting Yan8Fang Huang9Rusli Nordin10Zainooriah Dato’ Hj. Zakaria11School of Medicine, Taizhou UniversityDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical UniversitySchool of Teacher Education (Physical Education), Taizhou UniversityDepartment of Nursing, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Nursing, Taizhou First People’s HospitalSchool of Medicine, Taizhou UniversityDepartment of Nursing, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital)Department of Nursing, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical UniversityDepartment of Nursing, Taizhou Central Hospital (Taizhou University Hospital)School of Medicine, Taizhou UniversitySchool of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine Bioscience & Nursing, MAHSA UniversitySchool of Nursing, Faculty of Medicine Bioscience & Nursing, MAHSA UniversityAbstract Background Nurse job burnout is a critical issue affecting medical quality and safety. Psychological capital (PsyCap) is associated with enhanced career satisfaction and reduced work stress. This study evaluates the relationship between nurses’ PsyCap and job burnout, while considering leadership and family as contextual factors. Methods A cross-sectional study design was used, collecting data from 499 nurses via validated questionnaires. Statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression, were conducted to assess the relationship between PsyCap and job burnout. Leadership and family were included as contextual variables in hierarchical regression models to evaluate their indirect influences. Results Among nurses, 63.9% experienced mild to moderate burnout. The average PsyCap score was 107.88 ± 20.55. PsyCap showed a significant negative correlation with burnout dimensions (correlation coefficients: −0.43 to −0.53, p < 0.01). Higher PsyCap significantly predicted lower job burnout (β = −0.44, p < 0.01). Leadership and family influences had minor but noteworthy indirect effects on this relationship. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that higher levels of nurses’ PsyCap are associated with lower levels of job burnout. While these findings highlight PsyCap’s potential role in mitigating burnout, further research is needed to confirm causal relationships and assess the effectiveness of interventions aimed at enhancing PsyCap and supportive environments.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-025-00986-5Job burnoutPsychological capitalNurseNurse leaderNurse family
spellingShingle Mengjie Xia
Junqiang Wang
Zhibin Wang
Dongjun Bi
Huiping Mao
Xiaohong Liu
Lili Feng
Chen Lili
Xiaoting Yan
Fang Huang
Rusli Nordin
Zainooriah Dato’ Hj. Zakaria
Examining the relationship between nurse psychological capital and job burnout: a multilevel analysis across nurse, nurse leader, and nurse family perspectives
Human Resources for Health
Job burnout
Psychological capital
Nurse
Nurse leader
Nurse family
title Examining the relationship between nurse psychological capital and job burnout: a multilevel analysis across nurse, nurse leader, and nurse family perspectives
title_full Examining the relationship between nurse psychological capital and job burnout: a multilevel analysis across nurse, nurse leader, and nurse family perspectives
title_fullStr Examining the relationship between nurse psychological capital and job burnout: a multilevel analysis across nurse, nurse leader, and nurse family perspectives
title_full_unstemmed Examining the relationship between nurse psychological capital and job burnout: a multilevel analysis across nurse, nurse leader, and nurse family perspectives
title_short Examining the relationship between nurse psychological capital and job burnout: a multilevel analysis across nurse, nurse leader, and nurse family perspectives
title_sort examining the relationship between nurse psychological capital and job burnout a multilevel analysis across nurse nurse leader and nurse family perspectives
topic Job burnout
Psychological capital
Nurse
Nurse leader
Nurse family
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-025-00986-5
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