Social support, anxiety symptoms, and depression symptoms among residents in standardized residency training programs: the mediating effects of emotional exhaustion

Zhang, Hui; Cui, Nianqi; Chen, Dandan; Zou, Ping; Shao, Jing; Wang, Xiyi; Zhang, Yichi; Du, Jiao; Du, Chunxue; Zheng, Deyi

BACKGROUND: Although studies indicate that social support is related to emotional exhaustion, depression symptoms, and anxiety symptoms, the underlying mechanism between those variables remains unknown. METHODS: Based on a sample of 254 residents in standardized residency training programs, two mediation models were tested in which emotional exhaustion served as a mediator in the relationship between social support and anxiety symptoms/depression symptoms. We used the following self-reported questionnaires as instruments to collect data: zung self-rating depression scale, zung self-rating anxiety scale, social support rating scale, and emotional exhaustion scale. RESULTS: In the final study sample, the mean age of the residents was 25.92 years old (SD =1.88), and a total of 41.3% were male, and 58.7% were female. This current study suggested that social support was proven to be a relevant factor affecting anxiety symptoms and depression symptoms. Particularly, the results also indicated that emotional exhaustion partially mediated the impact of social support on anxiety symptoms and depression symptoms among Chinese residents in the standardized residency training program. CONCLUSIONS: Our study signifies that enhancements in social support and reduction of emotional exhaustion can directly or indirectly affect anxiety symptoms and depression symptoms among Chinese residents in the standardized residency training program. These findings will offer insight for health-sector managers to develop programs aimed at social support and adopt individual-level interventions and organization-level interventions to reduce emotional exhaustion.