Satisfaction with psychosocial support as a key enabler between Emotional Intelligence and self-care among healthcare workers: Cross-sectional study in Spain

<title>Abstract</title> <p>Background Healthcare professionals are exposed to occupational stressors that threaten their well-being. Using personal and interpersonal resources, such as emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and social support, has been proposed as a mechanism to promote self-care in these settings. Methods The present study employed a cross-sectional design to examine the interrelationships among trait emotional intelligence, dispositional mindfulness, social support satisfaction, and self-care agency among healthcare professionals. Data were collected across 4 regions of Spain via an online survey using validated instruments. Structural equation modelling was conducted to test an integrative model in which emotional intelligence was hypothesised to exert both direct and indirect effects on self-care agency via mindfulness and satisfaction with social support. Results Emotional intelligence emerged as the strongest and most consistent predictor of self-care agency. The relationship between the main variables is significantly mediated by social support satisfaction. Despite the positive correlation between mindfulness and emotional intelligence, the present study found no significant mediating effect in the primary relationship. Conclusion This study identified emotional intelligence as a pivotal predictor of self-care, with satisfaction with social support functioning as a significant mediating psychosocial resource for healthcare professionals’ self-care. Consequently, enhancing social support could serve as a valuable pathway for promoting well-being within healthcare environments. These findings emphasize the importance of reinforcing psychosocial resources and cultivating supportive work environments to enhance the well-being of professionals. Integrating individual competencies with organisational psychosocial support strategies may facilitate the development of comprehensive interventions and contribute to the creation of more resilient healthcare systems.</p>