The Relationship Between Job Crafting, Work Engagement, and Psychological Well-Being Among Nurses in Saudi Arabia: A Structural Equational Modeling

Aim: Given the demanding nature of the nursing profession, heavy workloads, and emotional strain, nurses’ psychological well-being is often compromised. Job crafting has been identified as a proactive approach to managing mental health distress and enhancing work engagement. Despite its importance, little is known about the relationship between job crafting, work engagement, and psychological well-being among nurses in Saudi Arabia. Purpose: To examine the relationship between job crafting, work engagement, and psychological well-being among nurses in Saudi Arabia and to explore the role of work engagement as a mediator. Methods and Design: A cross-sectional descriptive correlational design, a convenience sampling method was used to recruit 287 nurses in Saudi Arabia. Nurses completed the Mental Health Continuum Short Form (MHC-SF), the Job Crafting Questionnaire (JCQ), and the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Descriptive and inferential statistics, including multivariable linear regression analyses and Pearson correlation coefficients, were conducted. Additionally, Structural Equation Modeling was applied using the Preacher & Hayes method. Results: The mean score for job crafting was 5.0 ± 0.8, work engagement was 4.1 ± 1.2, and psychological well-being was 20.8 ± 6.2. A moderately positive relationship was found between job crafting and psychological well-being ( r = 0.53, p < 0.001) and work engagement and psychological well-being ( r = 0.47, p < 0.001). As well as a strong positive correlation between job crafting and work engagement ( r = 0.68, p < 0.001). Work engagement also mediated the relationship between job crafting and psychological well-being ( p < 0.001). Conclusion: Job crafting is important in improving psychological well-being among nurses, which can enhance their work engagement. Nurse managers should develop training programs that are designed to enhance nurses’ job crafting skills to engage nurses in the work and promote nurses’ psychological well-being. Keywords: job crafting, work engagement, psychological well-being, nurses, Saudi Arabia, nurse managers