The Lifeworld of Mental Health in Female Nurses: A Phenomenological Study on the Role of Attachment, Resilience, and Emotional Intelligence

Hajijafari, Yasmin

Volume 25, Issue 29 (9-2025) JNIP 2025, 25(29): 1-21 | Back to browse issues page

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Hajijafari Y. The Lifeworld of Mental Health in Female Nurses: A Phenomenological Study on the Role of Attachment, Resilience, and Emotional Intelligence. JNIP 2025; 25 (29) :1-21
URL: http://jnip.ir/article-1-1379-en.html

The Lifeworld of Mental Health in Female Nurses: A Phenomenological Study on the Role of Attachment, Resilience, and Emotional Intelligence

Yasmin Hajijafari ^*

Department of Psychology, Khorasgan.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract: (14 Views)

Nurses' mental health, as one of the main pillars of the health care system, has always been influenced by complex individual and environmental factors. Although numerous quantitative studies have examined the relationship between variables such as attachment style, resilience, and emotional intelligence with mental health, a deep understanding of nurses' lived experiences regarding the formation and interaction of these constructs in the real workplace still needs to be explored. This study aimed to understand and explain the lifeworld of female nurses regarding mental health and the role of the aforementioned factors. This study is a qualitative study with a descriptive-interpretive phenomenological approach. The participants included 14 female nurses working in teaching hospitals in Isfahan who were selected through purposive sampling until data saturation was reached. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Kleisman's seven-step content analysis method. After analyzing the data, 5 main themes and 14 sub-themes were extracted. The main themes were: 1. The shadow of early attachments on professional relationships, 2. Resilience as a defensive shield against the storm of stress, 3. Emotional intelligence is the key to conflict management, 4. Mental health; the balance between collapse and flourishing, and 5. The need to review organizational structures. The results showed that insecure attachment styles unconsciously cast a shadow on nurses' interactions with patients and colleagues and threaten their mental health. However, nurses who have been able to develop resilience and emotional intelligence skills have succeeded in turning these vulnerabilities into opportunities for growth. This study emphasizes that organizational interventions should go beyond technical training to strengthen emotional skills and resilience in relation to nurses' attachment context.

Keywords: Mental Health, Attachment Style, Resilience, Emotional Intelligence, Female Nurses, Phenomenology

Full-Text [PDF 471 kb] (7 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2025/08/13 | Accepted: 2025/09/1 | Published: 2025/09/4