Mindfulness, Self-Efficacy, Job Stress, and Job Satisfaction in Associated Factors of Turnover Intention: A Regression-Based Path Analysis Among Direct Care Workers

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to examine how mindfulness and self-efficacy are associated with turnover intention among direct care workers through the hypothesized indirect pathways involving job stress and job satisfaction. Grounded in the Job Demands–Resources (JD–R) and Conservation of Resources (COR) frameworks, the study highlights the buffering and protective functions of psychological resources under high job demands. Methods: A regression-based path analysis was conducted using data collected from a structured questionnaire survey of 967 direct care workers in southern Taiwan. Results: Job stress was positively associated with turnover intention (β = 0.599, p < 0.001), whereas job satisfaction was negatively associated with it (β = −0.139, p < 0.001). Self-efficacy was positively associated with job satisfaction (β = 0.407, p < 0.001) and negatively associated with job stress (β = −0.109, p < 0.001). Mindfulness demonstrated significant direct associations with self-efficacy (β = 0.497, p < 0.001) and job stress (β = −0.200, p < 0.001), but its direct effect on turnover intention was not significant (β = −0.035, p > 0.05), implying its influence is indirect through self-efficacy, job stress, and job satisfaction. Diagnostic checks, including the Variance Inflation Factor (VIF), confirmed the absence of multicollinearity issues, and the overall model demonstrated satisfactory explanatory power. Conclusions: These findings enhance understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying turnover intention among care workers and provide practical implications for human resource management and workplace stress interventions in long-term care settings.