A mediating effect of sense of coherence on the association between work-family conflict and workplace ostracism among medical staff

Background: The mental health of medical professionals has garnered increasing attention in recent years. This study aims to explore the relationships and interactions among workplace ostracism, work-family conflict, and sense of coherence (SOC) within this population. Methods: From January 2022 to December 2023, a survey was conducted involving 527 medical staff from three diverse hospitals. The research utilized the Work-Family Conflict Scale, the Workplace Ostracism Scale, and the Sense of Coherence Scale. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were performed on the collected data. Additionally, mediation analysis was employed to assess indirect effects, utilizing bootstrap sampling to estimate confidence intervals for these mediated effects. Simple slope analysis was also conducted to interpret significant interaction effects within moderation models. Results: A significant positive correlation was found between work-family conflict and workplace ostracism (correlation coefficient = 0.613; P < 0.001). Furthermore, sense of coherence partially mediates the relationship between work-family conflict and workplace ostracism (β = 0.330; P < 0.001). As levels of sense of coherence increase, the impact of work-family conflict on workplace ostracism diminishes progressively. Conclusion: Work-family conflict is a significant positive predictor of workplace ostracism among medical staff; moreover, sense of coherence serves as a mediator in this relationship-an effect that is particularly pronounced among those with lower levels of sense of coherence.