Mediating effects of psychological capital on the relationship between workplace violence and professional identity among nurses working in Chinese public psychiatric hospitals: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between workplace violence (WPV) and professional identity among Chinese psychiatric nurses and the mediating effects of psychological capital (PsyCap) from this association. SETTING: Seven public tertiary psychiatric hospitals in Liaoning Province, China. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 952 psychiatric nurses were recruited for this study. Registered nurses who have been engaged in psychiatric nursing for more than 1 year were eligible as participants in this investigation. OUTCOME MEASURES: Questionnaires consisting of the Workplace Violence Scale, the Occupational Identity Scale, the Psychological Capital Questionnaire and a demographic data sheet were used to collect participant information. We used hierarchical multiple regression and asymptotic and resampling strategies to examine the mediating role of PsyCap in the relationship between WPV and professional identity. RESULTS: WPV was negatively associated with professional identity after controlling for demographic factors (β=−0.353; p<0.001). PsyCap mediated the relationship between WPV and professional identity, according to the mediation analysis (a×b=−0.150, bias-corrected and accelerated 95% CI (BCa 95% CI) (−0.185 to −0.115); p<0.001). In addition, two dimensions of PsyCap: hope (a×b=−0.075, BCa 95% CI (−0.104 to −0.049); p<0.001) and resilience (a×b=−0.064, BCa 95% CI (−0.090 to −0.039); p<0.001) mediated the association between WPV and professional identity. For professional identity, hope, resilience and PsyCap mediation accounted for 21.6%, 18.1% and 42.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these findings, PsyCap could partially mediate the relationship between WPV and professional identity. Therefore, hospital administrators should implement measures to prevent and reduce WPV and provide nurses with skills training programmes to improve the PsyCap such as hope and resilience.