Contagious effect of nurses' perception of leaders' antisocial behaviour

Abstract

Aim: To examine the underlying mechanism that strengthens or attenuates the social contagion effect among nursing professionals. Design: The study uses a cross-sectional design. The study's results followed the Strengthening Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE). Methods: A Questionnaire was used as the main source of data collection. The data collection occurred between March 11 and May 12, 2024. The study used purposive sampling to select 25 health facilities. A total of 530 questionnaires were sent out, of which 323 responses were received, and 27 were excluded due to missing data and logical inconsistency. In all, 296 responses were used for the analysis, giving a valid response rate of 58.8%. The smart partial least squares partial equation modelling (Smart-PLS 4.0) was used for the study's data analysis. Results: The results reveal that the need for recognition mediates the relationship between nursing managers' and subordinates' antisocial behaviour. Also, results from the study indicate that personal norm inversely moderated the relationship between superior antisocial behaviour and subordinate behaviour. Conclusion: The impact of superior antisocial behaviour on junior nurses may not translate into the same level of effect, especially when the nurse perceives her role as a call to duty (i.e., has high personal norms). Impact: The study findings confirm the crucial role personal norms and the need for recognition play in strengthening or weakening the social contagion effect of senior nurses' antisocial behaviour on junior nurses' behaviour. Reporting Method: The study followed the Strengthening Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution.