Empathy, Emotion Regulation, and Work Engagement as Predictors of Compassionate Care Behavior A JD-R Perspective

Dery Kurniawan; Suminar

doi:10.5281/zenodo.20692292

Authors

Dery Kurniawan Psychology Study Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bina Bangsa University, Serang City, 42124, Indonesia
Suminar Psychology Study Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bina Bangsa University, Serang City, 42124, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20692292

Keywords:

Work Engagement, Empathy, Emotional Regulation, Compassionate Care, JD-R Theory

Abstract

Purpose - This study investigates how cognitive empathy, affective empathy, behavioral empathy, and emotional regulation influence compassionate care behaviors among nurses and midwives in Indonesian Type B and Type C public hospitals. It also examines work engagement as a mediator. Based on the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) theory, the research views personal psychological resources as crucial factors that motivate and improve patient-centered care outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach - A quantitative, cross-sectional survey used a self-administered structured questionnaire. Data were collected from nurses and midwives and analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling (SmartPLS 4.0). The model examined both direct and indirect relationships among six latent constructs: four personal resources, work engagement, and compassionate care behaviour.

Findings - Results show that cognitive empathy, affective empathy, behavioral empathy, and emotional regulation all significantly affect compassionate care behaviors, both directly and through work engagement. Emotional regulation was identified as the most powerful predictor of work engagement, emphasizing its vital role in maintaining psychological energy and involvement in demanding clinical settings. Work engagement consistently mediates all proposed relationships, demonstrating its importance as a key motivational factor within the JD-R framework.

Originality/value - This study integrates empathy dimensions and emotional regulation within a single JD-R framework, demonstrating how healthcare workers transform personal resources into compassionate care. The findings provide advances in healthcare psychology theory and offer practical strategies to improve nurse and midwife engagement and patient care quality, particularly in resource-limited hospital settings.

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Author Biographies

Dery Kurniawan, Psychology Study Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bina Bangsa University, Serang City, 42124, Indonesia

Dery Kurniawan is a lecturer and researcher at the Psychology Study Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bina Bangsa University, Serang City, Indonesia. His research interests include empathy, emotional regulation, work engagement, compassionate care, and psychological well-being among healthcare professionals.
Suminar, Psychology Study Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bina Bangsa University, Serang City, 42124, Indonesia

Suminar is a researcher at the Psychology Study Program, Faculty of Health Sciences, Bina Bangsa University, Serang City, Indonesia. Her research interests include empathy, emotional intelligence, patient-centered care, and psychological resources among healthcare workers.

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