Moderating Role of Violence by Patients and Their Relatives on the Behaviors of Healthcare Professionals

Objective: Studies examining violent behaviors occurring in health settings emphasize direct effects of the variables, and the findings are collected in a limited area. This study aimed to investigate the role of the moderator in the relationship between organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and job satisfaction in the setting of violent behavior by the patients and their relatives toward healthcare professionals.

Methods: Research data were collected by face-to-face questionnaire method by interviewing the participants.The study included 512 healthcare workers, physicians, nurses, midwives, and health technicians, working in different units of 13 public hospitals in Ankara and providing health services directly to the patients.

Results: According to the results of the regression analysis, a significant and direct effect of the general level of OCB that predicts the general level of job satisfaction has emerged (β = 0.284, t = 6.68, P < .001). It has been determined that violent behaviors toward healthcare professionals explain approximately 12.5% of the variance with its differentiating role reducing this effect (R² = 0.125, F = 25.30, P = .001).

Conclusion: This study showed that the positive contribution of OCB to job satisfaction is higher in healthcare workers who are not exposed to violent behavior. The results of this study also revealed that the relationship between variables regarding the attitudes and behaviors of healthcare professionals may differ owing to the violence perpetrated by the patients and their relatives. 

Cite this article as: Seyran F, Sağsan M, Gürhan N. Moderating role of violence by patients and their relatives on the behaviors of healthcare professionals. Alpha Psychiatry. 2021;22(3):136-141.