The effects of perceived stress on compassion fatigue and SWB in medical interns from vocational colleges: the mediation of social support, psychological resilience, and coping styles
摘要
Medical interns from vocational colleges play a crucial role as a reserve force for the primary healthcare system. However, they are particularly vulnerable to compassion fatigue (CF), which can significantly reduce their subjective well-being (SWB). Grounded in the Stress Coping Theory, this study explores the impact of perceived stress on CF and SWB among medical interns and examines the mediating roles of social support, psychological resilience, and coping styles.
MethodsA multi-site cross-sectional online survey (Dec 8, 2021–Jan 24, 2022) used census sampling of all eligible medical interns across two vocational colleges (n = 723). Measures included the Compassion Fatigue Short Scale (Adams et al.), the Perceived Stress Scale (Cohen et al.), the 10-item Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (Connor & Davidson), the Perceived Social Support Scale (Zimet et al.), and the Campbell Index of Well-Being (Campbell et al.). Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis and Structural Equation Modeling.
ResultsPerceived stress was found to increase CF and reduce SWB directly (β = 0.293, p = 0.001; β = − 0.175, p = 0.001), and it also had indirect effects through psychological resilience, perceived stress, and coping style. Additionally, CF can impact interns’ well-being (β = − 0.232, p = 0.001).
ConclusionPerceived stress was associated with higher CF and lower SWB among medical interns, both directly and indirectly through social support, psychological resilience, and positive and negative coping. These findings provide an integrated understanding of how demands and resources relate to interns’ emotional outcomes and highlight the importance of strengthening key personal and contextual resources in high-stress clinical environments.