The Moderation of Self‐Compassion Between the Relationship of Compassion Competence and Caring Behavior

BACKGROUND: Understanding factors influencing caring behavior and compassion competence is crucial for delivering compassionate nursing care. Recent research suggests that self-compassion significantly affects both caring behavior and compassion competence. PURPOSE: The study aims to investigate the moderating effect of self-compassion on pediatric nurses' caring behavior and compassion competence in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This study employed a nonexperimental quantitative design with a descriptive cross-sectional approach, involving 202 pediatric nurses. Data were gathered through a four-part structured self-administered questionnaire, which included demographic information, a compassion competence scale, a caring behavior inventory (16-item version), and a self-compassion scale. RESULTS: The majority of participants were female (97%) and aged 31-40 years (45.5%), with 6-10 years of experience (38.6%). Self-compassion scores averaged 3.48 (SD = 0.52), compassion competence averaged 4.06 (SD = 0.59), and caring behavior averaged 86.33 (SD = 10.31). A moderate positive correlation was found between self-compassion and compassion competence (r = 0.285, p < 0.001), a weak positive correlation was found between self-compassion and caring behavior (r = 0.183, p = 0.009), and a moderate positive correlation was found between compassion competence and caring behavior (r = 0.397, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study reveals that pediatric registered nurses exhibit high levels of compassion, competence, and caring behavior. However, self-compassion does not significantly influence the relationship between these two factors. The findings offer a framework for further exploration of the influences on caring behavior and compassion competence among pediatric nurses, aiding in the development of policies and interventions to enhance pediatric patient care.