Social support and mental health of caregivers in pension institutions: A mediated moderation model

The current study aimed to explore the relationship between social support and the mental health of caregivers in nursing homes, as well as the moderating effect of general self-efficacy and the mediating effect of psychological resilience. A total of 398 caregivers were randomly selected from twelve nursing homes in China, and questionnaires concerning social support, general self-efficacy, psychological resilience and mental health were done. The results showed that: (1) social support significantly predicted the mental health of caregivers in nursing homes; (2) general self-efficacy moderated the relationship between social support and the mental health of caregivers in nursing homes; and (3) psychological resilience completely mediated the moderating effects of general self-efficacy on the relationship between social support and the mental health of caregivers in nursing homes. The findings of the current study indicated that enhancing the general self-efficacy and the psychological resilience of caregivers in nursing homes could effectively maintain their mental health. Finally, the theoretical contribution and practical significance of the current study were discussed.