The Influence of Self-Compassion and Mindfulness on Nurses’ Caring Behavior
Lia Winarti, Rokiah Kusumapradja, Idrus Jusat
International Journal of Economics and Management Sciences February 28, 2026 DOI: 10.61132/ijems.v3i1.1163 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Cross-sectional study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 113 |
| Population | Nurses at Cilincing District General Hospital |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Key findings | Self-compassion was directly associated with better caring behavior, whereas mindfulness was not directly associated with caring behavior but was indirectly associated through reduced work stress. Both self-compassion and mindfulness were associated with lower work stress, and work stress was positively associated with caring behavior. |
Abstract
Caring behavior is the core of high-quality nursing services. In practice, it is influenced by various psychological factors and work-related stress. Self-compassion and mindfulness are believed to help nurses maintain emotional balance in delivering empathetic and humane nursing care. This study aims to analyze the effect of self-compassion and mindfulness on nurses’ caring behavior, with work stress as a mediating variable. A quantitative approach with a cross-sectional design was used. Descriptive analysis employed the Three Box Method, while inferential analysis used SEM-PLS. The study population consisted of all nurses at Cilincing District General Hospital (N = 113), using total sampling. The results of the study indicate that the proposed model is considered fit (p = 0.133) and appropriate for testing the influence of self-compassion and mindfulness on caring behavior, with work stress as a mediating variable. Self-compassion has a significant positive effect on caring behavior (p = 0.000), while mindfulness does not have a direct effect (p = 0.891), but shows a significant indirect effect through the reduction of work stress (p = 0.044). Both self-compassion (p = 0.029) and mindfulness (p = 0.000) negatively affect work stress. Interestingly, work stress positively influences caring behavior (p = 0.030). To enhance the influence of self-compassion and mindfulness on caring behavior, hospitals should develop psychological intervention programs based on self-compassion and mindfulness to help nurses manage stress and strengthen caring practices. A systemic approach that considers organizational factors is also necessary to support the consistent implementation of caring behavior.
Comparable studies
Other cross-sectional and survey studies on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Construct Validity of the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire in Meditating and Nonmeditating Samples Experienced meditators and nonmeditating comparison groups | 2008 | Cross-sectional study | |
| Neural Correlates of Dispositional Mindfulness During Affect Labeling Adult participants | 2007 | Observational cross-sectional | n = 27 |
| Assessing mindfulness in children and adolescents: Development and validation of the Child and Adolescent Mindfulness Measure (CAMM). School-aged children and adolescents | 2011 | Cross-sectional validation study | n = 1,413 |
| Mindfulness and self-compassion as predictors of psychological wellbeing in long-term meditators and matched nonmeditators Experienced meditators and demographically matched nonmeditators | 2012 | Cross-sectional study | n = 152 |
| Mechanisms of Action in the Inverse Relationship Between Mindfulness and Psychological Distress Undergraduates | 2008 | Cross-sectional, correlational |