Relationship between clinical nurses' job satisfaction and emotional regulation: the mediating role of positive affect.
- 1Department of Nursing, General Hospital of Central Theater Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
Abstract
Objective
To investigate the relationships among nurses' emotional regulation, positive affect, professional benefit perception, and job satisfaction, with a particular focus on the mediating role of positive affect.Methods
A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among nurses from three mainland Chinese hospitals. Data from 1,226 nurses were collected using validated scales: the Nurse Job Satisfaction Scale, Nurse Emotional Regulation Scale, Professional Benefit Perception Scale, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 27.0 and the PROCESS macro to test the hypothesized model.Results
Nurses' emotional regulation and positive affect were significantly and positively associated with job satisfaction. Professional benefit perception was also independently and positively associated with job satisfaction alongside emotional regulation. However, no significant moderating effect of professional benefit perception was observed on the relationship between emotional regulation and job satisfaction.Conclusion
Emotional regulation was positively associated with job satisfaction, and positive affect partially mediated this association in the tested statistical model. Professional benefit perception showed an independent positive association with job satisfaction but did not significantly moderate the association between emotional regulation and job satisfaction. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify temporal and causal relationships.Implications for nursing management
This study provides empirical evidence from China's healthcare system, clarifying the interplay between emotional regulation and job satisfaction. The findings may inform the development and future evaluation of interventions targeting nurses' psychological resources and workplace experiences.
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BibTeX
@article{liu2026relationship,
title = {{Relationship between clinical nurses' job satisfaction and emotional regulation: the mediating role of positive affect.}},
author = {Wen Liu and Yalan Li and Jili Zeng and Ying Deng},
journal = {Frontiers in psychology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1922739},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908629},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Relationship between clinical nurses' job satisfaction and emotional regulation: the mediating role of positive affect.
AU - Wen Liu
AU - Yalan Li
AU - Jili Zeng
AU - Ying Deng
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/07
JO - Frontiers in psychology
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2026.1922739
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42908629
AB - Objective To investigate the relationships among nurses' emotional regulation, positive affect, professional benefit perception, and job satisfaction, with a particular focus on the mediating role of positive affect.Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among nurses from three mainland Chinese hospitals. Data from 1,226 nurses were collected using validated scales: the Nurse Job Satisfaction Scale, Nurse Emotional Regulation Scale, Professional Benefit Perception Scale, and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 27.0 and the PROCESS macro to test the hypothesized model.Results Nurses' emotional regulation and positive affect were significantly and positively associated with job satisfaction. Professional benefit perception was also independently and positively associated with job satisfaction alongside emotional regulation. However, no significant moderating effect of professional benefit perception was observed on the relationship between emotional regulation and job satisfaction.Conclusion Emotional regulation was positively associated with job satisfaction, and positive affect partially mediated this association in the tested statistical model. Professional benefit perception showed an independent positive association with job satisfaction but did not significantly moderate the association between emotional regulation and job satisfaction. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify temporal and causal relationships.Implications for nursing management This study provides empirical evidence from China's healthcare system, clarifying the interplay between emotional regulation and job satisfaction. The findings may inform the development and future evaluation of interventions targeting nurses' psychological resources and workplace experiences.
SN - 1664-1078
ER -