Relationship between Psychological Resilience and Emotional Labor with Mental Health among Sample of Egyptian Mental Health Nurses

Abstract

Background: Psychiatric nurses are exposing to a wide variety of possible occupational stressors due to the particular challenges of caring for mentally ill people and working environment. In addition, the mental health nurse is expected to build a collaborative relationship with the patient that can drain emotionally due to boundaries and attachment difficulties and control their emotions. This all affected their mental health. Aim of the study: To explore the relationship between psychological resilience and emotional labor with mental health among a sample of Egyptian mental health nurses. Setting: the study was conducted at Portsaid Psychiatric Hospital. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used. Subjects: The study sample consisted of 95 nurses. Tools: The nurses asked to response, Demographic data and three questionnaires, Conner and Davidson Resilience Scale, Dutch Questionnaire on Emotional Labor (D-QEL) and General Health Questionnaire. Results: The findings revealed that (41.43%, 28.30%, and 26.27%) of studied nurses had good mental health, a somewhat good mental health, and poor mental health, respectively. More than half (56.8%) of studied nurses had low to moderate level of resilience. Most of the nurses had moderate level of emotional lobor. There is a positive relation between psychological resilience and mental health and negatively with emotional labor and there is a negative relation between mental health and emotional labor. Conclusions: Nurses with higher level of resilience had good mental health and those with higher level with emotional lobor had poor mental health. Recommendations: In light of these findings, continued professional development opportunities that promote resilience and emotion control, as well as a supportive environment, are recommended to improve mental health.