Emotion regulation strategy moderates the impact of emotional labor on burnout in psychiatric nurses: a cross-sectional study.

backgroundPsychiatric nurses experience unique emotional challenges, requiring management of both their own emotions and those of patients with mental health disorders. Emotional labor, particularly surface acting, has been identified as a significant stressor contributing to burnout. This study examines how emotion regulation strategies might moderate the relationship between emotional labor and burnout.

methodsThis cross-sectional study recruited 244 psychiatric nurses. Participants completed questionnaires assessing emotional labor, emotion regulation strategies, and burnout. Multiple regression and moderation analyses were performed.

resultsSurface acting was positively associated with burnout (β = 0.44, p < 0.001), while natural expression (β = -0.19, p = 0.02) was negatively associated with burnout. Cognitive reappraisal was negatively associated with burnout (β = -0.44, p < 0.001), while expressive inhibition was positively associated with burnout (β = 0.15, p = 0.04). Furthermore, cognitive reappraisal significantly moderated the relationship between surface acting and burnout (β = -0.57, p = 0.01). Simple slope analysis revealed that the association between surface acting and burnout was strongest at low levels of cognitive reappraisal (β = 0.50, p < 0.001) and weakest at high levels (β = 0.22, p = 0.004), becoming non-significant when cognitive reappraisal exceeded a standardized value of 1.38.

conclusionCognitive reappraisal serves as a protective factor against the detrimental effects of surface acting on burnout among psychiatric nurses. Interventions should focus on minimizing reliance on surface acting while enhancing cognitive reappraisal skills through mindfulness-based techniques, potentially improving resilience in emotionally demanding environments.