Contextual support, occupational self-efficacy and employee resilience among Greek psychiatric nurses: A structural equation model

Psychiatric nurses (PNs) are frequently exposed to stressors, due to patients’ aggressive behaviors, which has an adverse impact on their workplace well-being and performance. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between contextual support, occupational self-efficacy, and employee resilience among psychiatric nurses in Greece. A total of 328 PNs from tertiary public psychiatric hospitals completed self-report measures on perceived organizational support, empowering leadership, dimensions of learning organization, occupational self-efficacy and employee resilience. Pearson’s correlations, stepwise multiple regression and path analyses were performed to examine the relationships between the variables. The findings revealed that contextual support directly influenced both occupational self-efficacy (β = 0.30, p < 0.01) and employee resilience (β = 0.51, p < 0.001). Furthermore, self-efficacy significantly mediated the link between contextual support and resilience (Sobel z = 3.69, p < 0.001), explaining 81% of the variance in employee resilience and 34% of the variance in occupational self-efficacy. The results offer valuable insights for developing policies and professional programs that enhance workplace support and self-belief, which can improve nurse retention, well-being, and care quality in psychiatric settings. This study provides a basis for fostering resilience in psychiatric nurses through targeted institutional strategies.