AUTHOR=Ling Chengrong , Li Xuemei , Zhao Ling , Zhao Dongmei , Qiu Meng , Li Yingchun 

TITLE=The mediating effect of regulatory emotional self-efficacy between work-family conflict and turnover intention in female nurses with two children

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychology

VOLUME=Volume 16 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1603872

DOI=10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1603872

ISSN=1664-1078

ABSTRACT=ObjectiveThis study examines the mediating role of regulatory emotional self-efficacy (RESE) in female nurses on the relationship between work-family conflict (WFC) and turnover intention (TI), focusing specifically on female nurses with two children in Tertiary Grade-A hospitals in Sichuan Province. By exploring how RESE influences the impact of WFC on nurses’ intentions to leave, the study aims to offer valuable insights for strategies to reduce nurse turnover and enhance the stability of the nursing workforce.MethodsA convenience sampling method was employed to recruit 1,370 female nurses with two children from 65 tertiary hospitals across 21 cities and prefectures in Sichuan Province. Participants completed a general information questionnaire along with the Work-Family Behavioral Role Conflict Scale (WFBRCS), the Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale (RESES), and the Turnover Intention Scale (TIS) to assess WFC, RESE and TI.ResultsFemale nurses with two children reported a mean TIS score of 13.11 ± 3.93, with an average item score of 2.18 ± 0.66, reflecting a high level of TI. WFC was positively associated with TI (r = 0.485, p < 0.01), whereas RESE was negatively associated with TI (r = −0.382, p < 0.01). Furthermore, RESE was found to partially mediate the relationship between WFC and TI, suggesting that higher emotional self-efficacy can buffer the impact of WFC on nurses’ intentions to leave.ConclusionIt is recommended that hospital management implement a dual-track intervention system emphasizing both resource optimization and psychological empowerment. Practically, this could involve adopting flexible scheduling and increasing nursing staff to alleviate the strain of heavy workloads on nurses’ family responsibilities. Simultaneously, providing mindfulness training, regular psychological counseling, and emotional management workshops can strengthen nurses’ RESE, enabling them to better balance work and family demands, reduce TI, and promote the stability and sustainable development of the nursing workforce.