From moral distress to burnout through work-family conflict: the protective role of resilience and positive refocusing

ABSTRACT This study analyses for the first time whether and when moral distress may be related to work-family conflict and burnout. Additionally, this study examines whether resilience and positive refocusing might protect healthcare professionals from the negative effects of moral distress. A total of 153 Italian healthcare professionals completed self-report questionnaires. Simple and moderated mediation models revealed that moral distress was positively related to burnout, directly and indirectly, as mediated by work-family conflict. Highly resilient professionals experienced low work-family conflict, regardless of moral distress levels. Moreover, professionals who frequently used positive refocusing were less vulnerable to burnout following moral distress.