This study aimed to analyze the effects of nursing care workers’ job stress and depression on service quality and to examine whether occupational identity plays a mediating role in these relationships. Nursing care workers are core personnel in long...
This study aimed to analyze the effects of nursing care workers’ job stress and depression on service quality and to examine whether occupational identity plays a mediating role in these relationships. Nursing care workers are core personnel in long-term care services for older adults, and although their psychosocial factors can directly and indirectly influence service quality, related research remains relatively insufficient. In particular, nursing care workers are frequently exposed to high levels of job stress due to excessive workload, poor working conditions, role ambiguity and more which may induce emotional anxiety and depression, ultimately lowering the quality of their interactions and services provided to the older adults. Accordingly, this study empirically investigated the effects of job stress and depression on service quality among nursing care workers and explored the mediating effect of occupational identity in this process, with the aim of suggesting directions for psychosocial interventions that can enhance service quality.
The participants of this study were nursing care workers employed at long-term care institutions for older adults located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. Using a purposive sampling method, a total of 335 questionnaires were distributed, and 302 valid responses were ultimately used for analysis. The major variables included job stress, depression, occupational identity, and service quality. The collected data were statistically examined through descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediating effect analysis.
The analysis results showed that, first, job stress significantly differed according to education level, facility type, work experience, employment type, and health status. Depression, occupational identity, and service quality also demonstrated statistically significant differences depending on various sociodemographic characteristics.
Second, job stress and depression showed negative correlations with service quality, whereas occupational identity showed a positive correlation with service quality. In particular, sub-factors such as role overload, role conflict, physical depression, and interpersonal depression were found to have negative effects on service quality.
Third, the regression analysis revealed that both job stress and depression had significant negative effects on service quality. In addition, job stress was found to negatively influence occupational identity, and depression likewise exerted a negative effect on occupational identity.
Fourth, the mediating effect analysis showed that occupational identity demonstrated a full mediating effect in the relationship between job stress and service quality, and a partial mediating effect in the relationship between depression and service quality. These results confirm that occupational identity functions as an important mediating variable in improving service quality.
These findings suggest that the job stress and depression experienced by nursing care workers are not merely individual emotional states but are critical factors directly linked to the quality of service they provide. In particular, occupational identity functions as a key variable that buffers psychosocial burdens and enhances service quality, highlighting the need for organizational and institutional support to strengthen occupational identity among nursing care workers. By comprehensively analyzing the effects of psychosocial factors and occupational attitudes on service quality, this study provides empirical evidence that can serve as a foundational resource for improving service quality and developing workforce management strategies in long-term care institutions.