The Relationship Between Work-Family Behavioral Role Conflict and Social Support Among Nurses in Grade A Tertiary Hospitals: A Study on the Mediating Effect of Psychological Capital

Background To examine the mediating role of nurses' psychological capital in the relationship between work-family behavioral role conflict and social support, thereby providing theoretical support for nurses to achieve work-family balance. Methods Using a convenience sampling approach, 501 nurses from Grade-A tertiary comprehensive hospitals in Hunan, Guangdong, Henan, and other provinces were surveyed in February 2025. Data collection employed the Work-Family Behavioral Role Conflict Scale, Psychological Capital Questionnaire, and Social Support Rating Scale. Results The scores for work-family behavioral role conflict, psychological capital, and social support were 95.0 (77.0, 110.0), 95.0 (85.0, 102.0), and 36.0 (32.0, 42.0) points, respectively.Work-family behavioral role conflict showed a negative correlation with psychological capital ( r =-0.093, P  < 0.05) and social support ( r =-0.286, P  < 0.05). Psychological capital was positively correlated with social support ( r  = 0.455, P  < 0.05).Psychological capital played a partial mediating role between work-family behavioral role conflict and social support, accounting for 19.08% of the total effect. Conclusions Work-family behavioral role conflict negatively impacts the social support system of nurses in Grade-A tertiary hospitals, with psychological capital serving as a partial mediator. This finding indicates that nursing administrators should mitigate the depletion of social support caused by work-family conflict and cultivate nurses' psychological capital, while individual nurses should concentrate on maintaining their psychological resources and proactively utilizing social support.