Objective:

To examine the mediating role of psychological flexibility and its components in the relationship between perceived stress and depression among Chinese nurses, highlighting its significance in nursing practice.

Key Findings:

• Depression was positively correlated with perceived stress (r = 0.63, p < 0.01).
• Perceived stress was significantly associated with depression both directly (b = 0.47, 95% CI: [insert CI]) and indirectly via psychological flexibility (b = 0.12, 95% CI: [insert CI]).
• Components of psychological flexibility, including acceptance and cognitive defusion (b = 0.14, 95% CI: [insert CI]) and values and committed action (b = 0.06, 95% CI: [insert CI]), showed significant indirect associations.
• The indirect association through mindfulness and self-as-context was not significant (b = 0.01, 95% CI: [insert CI]).

Interpretation:

Psychological flexibility and some of its components partially mediate the relationship between perceived stress and depression among Chinese nurses, suggesting implications for nursing interventions.

Limitations:

• The study's cross-sectional design limits the ability to infer causal relationships.
• Convenience sampling may affect the generalizability of the findings and introduce potential biases.

Conclusion:

The findings suggest that psychological flexibility may help understand the statistical association between perceived stress and depression in this population, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions.