Identifying latent profiles of emotional labor and exploring their links to psychological resilience among tertiary hospital nurses

Background Nurses frequently engage in high levels of emotional labor, which, when sustained, may be detrimental to their psychological well-being. However, the way nurses regulate emotions is heterogeneous. Identifying distinct emotional labor profiles and examining their psychological associations is crucial for developing tailored interventions. Objective This study aimed to identify latent profiles of emotional labor among nurses in tertiary hospitals and investigate their associations with psychological resilience. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted from March to May 2025 among 458 registered nurses across eight tertiary hospitals in Sichuan Province, China. Data were collected using a general demographic questionnaire, the Emotional Labor Scale, and the Psychological Resilience Scale. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was employed to identify distinct emotional labor profiles. One-way ANOVA was used to compare psychological resilience across profiles, and a multivariate logistic regression model was constructed to explore independent predictors of emotional labor categories. Results A total of 458 valid responses were analyzed. Three distinct emotional labor profiles were identified: Surface Acting-Suppression Type (C1, 30.3%), Deep Acting Type (C2, 45.4%), and Natural Engagement Type (C3, 24.2%). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that gender, age, employment type, monthly night shifts, salary satisfaction, and psychological resilience were significant predictors of emotional labor classification. Psychological resilience significantly differed across all profile comparisons: C1 vs. C2, C1 vs. C3, and C2 vs. C3 ( p < 0.05). Conclusion Emotional labor among nurses exhibits notable latent heterogeneity, with psychological resilience varying significantly across profile types. Tailored interventions are recommended based on emotional labor typologies to enhance psychological resilience and organizational support, thereby improving emotional labor management and promoting sustainable occupational health among nurses.