Mediating Role of Empathy Between Self-Compassion and Secondary Traumatic Stress in Nurses
Hanieh Poursheikhali1, Shabnam Hashemzadeh Mohammadieh2, Shekoofeh Mottaghi1
1Department of Psychology, Humanistic Sciences and Social Sciences, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran.
Aim:
To investigate the mediating role of empathy in the relationship between self-compassion and secondary traumatic stress (STS) among nurses.
Methods:
A descriptive correlational design was used. Data were collected from 300 nurses in five hospitals in Kerman, Iran, using validated scales measuring self-compassion, empathy, and STS.
Results:
Structural equation modeling revealed significant negative correlations between self-compassion and STS ( r =-.23, p <0.001) and between empathy and STS ( r =-.37, p <0.001). Self-compassion was positively associated with empathy ( r =.41, p <0.001). Empathy partially mediated the self-compassion-STS relationship, with an indirect effect of -0.15 ( p <0.05).
Conclusion:
Self-compassion reduces STS both directly and indirectly by enhancing empathy. Results suggest fostering self-compassion and empathy in nursing education and practice to build resilience and reduce STS risk among health care professionals.
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