Moderating Role Of Social Support In The Relationship Between Anxiety And Psychological Well-Being Of Nurses In Unth Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the moderating role of social support in the relationship between anxiety and the psychological well-being of nurses at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ituku-Ozalla, Enugu. A sample of 307 nurses were selected via stratified and purposive sampling. Their age range was from 25 to 59 years with mean age of 41.88 and standard deviation of 8.61. The research employed a correlational design, and data were collected with the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale, Ryff’s 18-item Psychological Well-Being Scales (PWBS), and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) adapted to include workplace sources. Moderated hierarchical regression analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between anxiety and psychological wellbeing. While social support alone did not predict psychological wellbeing, it significantly and positively moderated the anxiety–psychological wellbeing link. Specifically, higher levels of perceived social support, particularly from “significant others,” buffered the detrimental effect of anxiety on some wellbeing dimensions including environmental mastery, personal growth, and positive relations with others. The findings underscore the fact that social support operates primarily as a protective factor rather than a direct enhancer of wellbeing in this high-stress context. The study concludes that institutional interventions should prioritize fostering supportive peer networks and transformational leadership to mitigate the impact of anxiety, thereby promoting resilience and sustainable psychological wellbeing among nurses in Nigerian teaching hospitals.