Pathway linking dispositional mindfulness to fatigue in oncology female nurses: Exploring the mediating role of emotional suppression.

PURPOSE

Fatigue is a physical and emotional state associated with certain aspects of nursing practice. The current study aimed to investigate the indirect effect of dispositional mindfulness on fatigue via emotional suppression in oncology female nurses.

METHODS

In a cross-sectional study, 137 female oncology nurses were recruited from several hospitals to complete baseline questionnaires. Emotional suppression, dispositional mindfulness and fatigue were assessed with the Weinberger Adjustment Inventory (WAI), Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ) and the Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory (MFI) respectively. A Mediation model was tested using structural equation modelling.

FINDINGS

Dispositional mindfulness was negatively associated with emotional suppression (β = -0.69, p = 0.000). In addition, emotional suppression was positively associated with fatigue (β = 0.32, p = 0.014). The mediation path was significant with emotional suppression fully mediating the relationship between dispositional mindfulness and fatigue (b = -0.20 [CI: -0.01, -0.25].

DISCUSSION

These results support the proposed model, and the assumption that emotional suppression may help facilitate the onset of fatigue or maintain it in female oncology nurses. The findings have implications for the use of brief mindfulness interventions aimed at the effective regulation of emotion in oncology nurses to aid in well-being and optimal nursing practice.