Anxiety, depression, work-related stress and psychological flexibility in nurses: A correlational-comparative study
Open accessAbstract
Nursing is exposed to a variety of occupational stress affecting their psychological health and productivity. Psychological flexibility has been shown to have beneficial effects on mental health of general population. The aims of this study were to analyze in nursing staff the relationship between the exposure to work-related stressors and psychological flexibility; and between emotional symptomatology and psychological flexibility; and the differences of the exposure to work-related stressors and emotional symptomatology among different work areas and different shift work. A correlational-comparative study has been developed. In addition to sociodemographic and work variables, the NSS, DASS-21, AAQ-II questionnaires were used to measure the work-related stressors, stress, anxiety, depression, and psychological flexibility, respectively. The prevalence of moderate-very severe levels of depression, anxiety and stress was 17.6%, 29.9% and 23.3%, respectively. A significant negative correlation was observed between work-related stressors and psychological flexibility; between occupational stress and psychological flexibility; between emotional symptomatology and psychological flexibility; between anxiety, stress and age; between work-related stressors and age. Nurses working rotating shifts reported significantly higher levels of emotional symptomatology, stress and anxiety than those working day shifts. Psychological flexibility seems to explain a significant prevalence of emotional symptomatology in nurses. Community nurses showed the lowest levels of anxiety, depression and stress when compared to hospital nurses working in different areas.
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The findings support earlier research that lower psychological flexibility is linked with greater psychological distress among nursing students.
“Our findings support earlier research by indicating that lower levels of flexibility are linked with greater psychological distress among nursing students”
From Associations of psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and valued living with psychological distress among nursing students (2025) · cites this paper as [44]
Limited psychological flexibility may heighten vulnerability to emotional challenges in high-pressure academic and clinical environments.
“This suggests that limited flexibility may heighten vulnerability to emotional challenges in high-pressure academic and clinical environments.”
From Associations of psychological flexibility, mindfulness, and valued living with psychological distress among nursing students (2025) · cites this paper as [44]
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- Authors
- Blanca Cuenca, M., García-Martín, M. B., & Calero García, M. J.
- Affiliations
- PhD candidate of the Health Sciences Research Program. University of Jaén, Spain
- Head of Psychology Evaluation and Intervention Department, Universidad de La Sabana, Colombia
- Department of Nursing, University of Jaén, Jaén, Spain
- Venue
- European Journal of Health Research
- Publisher
- Universidad Autonoma de Chile
- Published
- 2021-12-13
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 1-21
- ISSN
- 2444-9067 (ISSN-L)
- 2445-0308
- OpenAlex
- W4200185972
- Cited by
- 3
- References
- 43
- Citations by year
- 2025: 2 · 2023: 1
- FWCI
- 0.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- es
- Open access
- diamond
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- European journal of health research (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Health and Burnout
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout
- Keywords
- psychological flexibility, anxiety, depression, occupational stress, occupational stressors, nurses, shift work, rotating shifts, day shift, community nurses, hospital nurses, workplace mental health
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