Trait Mindfulness as Moderator with Role Overload and Job Stress among healthcare Professionals Working in the Healthcare Sector

Abstract

Mindfulness, a practice spanning millennia across various cultures and religions, has garnered attention in contemporary psychology for its efficacy in stress reduction. Healthcare workers are among the most likely to experience high levels of stress, owing to the seriousness of their profession, as such this research investigates the role of trait mindfulness in mitigating the negative impacts of role overload among healthcare Professionals. The study, comprising 310 healthcare professionals employed in different hospitals located in Hail, Saudi Arabia, examines how a nurse’s mindful predisposition (Trait mindfulness) may be effective in reducing the detrimental effects of job stress created by role overload. Utilizing Reilly's Role Overload scale (5 items, Cronbach's alpha: .82), the Job Stress Scale (5 items, alpha: .85), and the MAAS scale (15 items, alpha: .79). Results show that Mindfulness significantly moderates the relationship between role overload and job stress. This means that trait mindfulness can act as a buffer against the detrimental effects of role overload on job stress experienced by healthcare professionals. These findings are particularly useful for policymakers and management associated with the healthcare sector that mindfulness-based interventions, as a potential tool to promote well-being and protect healthcare professionals from the detrimental effects of stress.