Relationships between Perceived Workplace Violence by Patients, Psychological Capital, and Professional Identity among General Practitioners in China

Abstract

Background Social environment and psychological factors have a notable impact on professional identity. Currently, there are no available studies on relationships between perception of workplace violence (WPV) by patients, psychological capital (PsyCap) , and professional identity among general practitioners (GPs) in China. Objective To investigate the relationships between perceived WPV by patients, PsyCap, and professional identity among GPs in China. Methods A self-administered electronic questionnaire survey was conducted with 4 632 GPs selected by use of stratified multistage random sampling from eastern, central, and western China between March and May 2021. The survey was used for collecting data mainly consisting of GPs' basic demographics, perceived WPV by patients, PsyCap, and professional identity. Spearman's correlation was used to analyze relationships between perceived WPV by patients, PsyCap, and professional identity. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to analyze the effects of perceived WPV by patients and PsyCap on professional identity. Results Altogether, 94.47% of the GPs (4 376/4 632) who handed in responsive questionnaires were included for analysis. Six hundred and twenty-four (14.26%) GPs had experienced WPV by patients in the past year. The average total scores of PsyCap and professional identity were (102.89±16.94) and (33.93±8.95) , respectively. The increase in the score of perceived WPV by patients was correlated with a decrease in the scores of PsyCap and its dimensions, and in the score of professional identity (P<0.01) . The increase in the scores of PsyCap and its dimensions was correlated with increased score of professional identity (P<0.01) . Hierarchical multiple regression analysis showed that the frequency of WPV by patients had a negative predictive effect on professional identity (low frequency, b=-0.071; intermediate frequency, b=-0.054; high frequency, b=-0.042; P<0.001) . PsyCap had a positively predicted effect on professional identity (b=0.330, P<0.001) , and it played a partial mediating role between perceived WPV by patients and professional identity. Conclusion The GPs' perceived WPV by patients, PsyCap, and professional identity are interrelated, and PsyCap plays a partial mediating role between perceived WPV by patients and professional identity. Great importance should be attached to the professional work environment, occupational status, and mental health among Chinese GPs.

Keywords

• general practitioners|workplace violence|psychological capital|professional identity|mediation analysis