Psychosocial Predictors of Anxiety in Nursing Home Staff

Objectives: Although research shows that nursing home staff experience significant levels of stress and burnout, studies analyzing the relationship of psychosocial variables on their feelings of anxiety are scarce. This study aims to analyze the relationship between psychosocial variables and levels of anxiety among staff.

Method: Participants were 101 nursing home professionals. In addition to anxiety, socio-demographic variables, depersonalization, burden, relationship with families of the residents, and guilt about the care offered to the residents were assessed. A hierarchical regression analysis was carried out to analyze the contribution of the assessed variables to staff anxiety levels.

Results: The obtained model explained 57% of the variance in anxious symptomatology. Guilt about the care offered and poor quality of the relationship with residents’ family were associated with anxiety. Further, working at nursing homes where the staff report higher levels of anxiety symptoms, the presence of depersonalization and burden were also associated with anxiety.

Conclusion: The findings suggest that in addition to work-related variables (burden and burnout), problems with family members and guilt about the care offered are relevant variables for understanding staff’s anxious symptomatology.

Clinical Implications: Interventions that address issues of guilt about the quality of care, and problematic relationships with family members of residents, may have potential to reduce staff anxiety and promote their well-being.