Psychosocial Well-Being: An Exploratory Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Loneliness, Anxiety, Depression, Self-Compassion, and Professional Quality of Life in Oncology Nurses

Background: In addition to heavy workloads, oncology nurses are confronted with emotionally demanding caregiving moments with little training or institutional support for coping and emotional well-being.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the associations and potential predictors among self-compassion, loneliness, anxiety, depression, and professional quality of life in oncology nurses.

Methods: Participants were recruited throughout central Texas. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and multivariate regression analyses were conducted on survey data.

Findings: Burnout and compassion satisfaction were strongly related to loneliness, self-compassion, and depression. Compassion fatigue was most highly related to anxiety and depression. Loneliness made the strongest unique contribution to burnout and compassion satisfaction, and depression was the only statistically significant predictor of compassion fatigue.