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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Public Mental Health
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1454998
This article is part of the Research Topic Spirituality and Religion: Implications for Mental Health View all 22 articles

Secondary traumatic stress and vicarious posttraumatic growth in oncology nurses: the mediating role of empathy

Provisionally accepted
Yitong Cai Yitong Cai 1,2,3*Ming Liu Ming Liu 1*Yifei Li Yifei Li 2*Juan Li Juan Li 2*Jie Geng Jie Geng 4*Xiaoying Liu Xiaoying Liu 3*Jingping Zhang Jingping Zhang 2*
  • 1 Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
  • 2 Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan Province, China
  • 3 Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
  • 4 Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, Gansu Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background The relationship between secondary traumatic stress (STS), empathy, and vicarious post-traumatic growth (VPTG) in oncology nurses is unclear. Understanding these links is crucial for improving nurse well-being and patient care quality. Objective This study aimed to investigate the relationships between STS, empathy, and VPTG among oncology nurses. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in a multicentric setting. Data collection involved oncology nurses completing questionnaires assessing STS, empathy, and VPTG levels. Data analysis included correlation analyses, multiple stepwise regression analysis, and structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the interrelationships between these variables. The study adhered to the STROBE checklist. Results A total of 391 oncology nurses participated in the study. They showed moderate to low levels of VPTG and high levels of STS. STS exhibited a negative association with VPTG, while empathy demonstrated a positive direct association with both VPTG and STS. Moreover, SEM indicated that empathy mediated the relationship between STS and VPTG, with a partial mediating effect of 0.127. Factors such as receiving psychological training, educational attainment, STS, and empathy collectively explained 24% of the variance in VPTG. Conclusion Our findings highlighted the negative correlation between STS and VPTG among oncology nurses. Additionally, empathy was found to mediate the relationship between STS and VPTG, suggesting it plays a significant role in influencing VPTG. Implications for Practice To aid oncology nurses, interventions should focus on reducing STS and enhancing empathy. Strategies like resilience workshops, peer support, and stress management can foster VPTG. Creating a supportive work environment is crucial for nurses' well-being and quality patient care.

    Keywords: secondary traumatic stress, Vicarious posttraumatic growth, Oncology nurses, Empathy, Mediating role

    Received: 27 Jun 2024; Accepted: 02 Sep 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Cai, Liu, Li, Li, Geng, Liu and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Yitong Cai, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
    Ming Liu, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
    Yifei Li, Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan Province, China
    Juan Li, Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan Province, China
    Jie Geng, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, Lanzhou, 730030, Gansu Province, China
    Xiaoying Liu, Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, China
    Jingping Zhang, Xiangya School of Nursing, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, Hunan Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.