Influencing factors of humanistic care ability and its dimensions among mental health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: an online cross-sectional study

Background In psychiatric services, humanistic care ability significantly affects the quality of the therapeutic relationship and thus affects the therapeutic outcomes for patients. Mental health workers may be confronted with more obstacles in humanistic care during the COVID-19 pandemic wherethe authors aimed to explore the capacity level of humanistic care among mental health workers and its potential influencing factors. Method(s) An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 262 mental health workers working in Chongqing, China, from December 2020 to January 2021. Data were collected by the Caring Ability Inventory (CAI), the Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ-24), the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised, and the Short Scale for Chinese (EPQ-RSC). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of humanistic care ability. Results Mental health workers’ humanistic care ability is at a low level, with a score of 186.47 ± 21.34. Psychological capital is positively associated with humanistic care ability ( β [95% CI ] = 0.41 [0.46–0.77], p < 0.001), and its two dimensions (cognition: β [95% CI ] = 0.51 [0.30–0.47], p < 0.001; patience: β [95% CI ] = 0.48 [0.17–0.28], p < 0.001). Psychoticism is negatively associated with humanistic care ability ( β [95% CI ] = -0.28 [-5.18 - -2.51], p < 0.001) and its three dimensions (cognition: β [95% CI ] = -0.12 [-1.57 - -0.17], p < 0.05; courage: β [95% CI ] = -0.17 [-1.7 - -0.32], p < 0.01; patience: β [95% CI ] = -0.19 [-1.33 - -0.36], p < 0.01). Extroversion is positively associated with humanistic care ability ( β [95% CI ] = 0.19 [0.69–2.08], p < 0.001), and its two dimensions (cognition: β [95% CI ] = 0.19 [0.32–1.05], p < 0.001; courage: β [95% CI ] = 0.27 [0.5–1.23], p < 0.001). Neuroticism is negatively associated with humanistic care ability ( β [95% CI ] = -0.13[-1.37 - -0.19], p < 0.01) and its one dimension (courage: β [95% CI ] = -0.25 [-0.98 - -0.35], p < 0.001). Conclusion(s) The research has found that the humanistic care ability of mental health workers is at a low level, and the psychological capital and personality traits are significant factors influencing the humanistic care ability and its sub-dimensions. Interventions to improve the psychological capital of mental health workers or to promote the change of personality traits they want are recommended, thereby to promote humanistic practice.