Resilience as a mediator between caregiver stress and mental health in healthcare workers

Abstract

Healthcare workers (HCWs) represent a category of employees facing numerous challenges that have a significant impact on their quality of life. This cross-sectional study explored the relationship between caregiver stress, resilience, and mental health (anxiety and depression) among 305 HCWs (Mean age=44.65; SD=9.58) using an online survey conducted between December 2022 and February 2023. Participants completed the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS), the Kingston Caregiver Stress Scale (adapted for formal caregiving) (KCSS), and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21-R (DASS21-R). The results revealed a positive correlation between caregiver stress and both anxiety and depression, whereas resilience was negatively associated with caregiver stress. Mediation analysis, using macro-PROCESS, demonstrated that resilience partially mediates the relationship between caregiver stress and mental health. Specifically, caregiver stress negatively predicted resilience (β=-0.37), which in turn contributed to reduced anxiety (β=-0.31) and depression (β=-0.31). These findings suggest that interventions targeting both stress reduction and resilience enhancement could be effective strategies for improving HCWs' mental well-being and overall quality of life.