Relationship between tutor support, caring self-efficacy and intention to leave of nursing students: the roles of self-compassion as mediator and moderator

Objectives Analyze the mediating e moderating roles of self-compassion in the relationship between tutor support and both students' caring efficacy and intention to leave.Methods A cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was conducted.Results Self-compassion mediates the relationship between tutor support and students' caring efficacy. Tutor support play a role on all the facets of self-compassion, but only two dimensions of this variable (mindfulness vs. over-identification) are significantly associated with both the dimensions of caring self-efficacy, with inverse effects. Self-compassion moderates the relationship between tutor support and intention to leave.Conclusions Tutor support can improve students' caring efficacy by helping them to be mindful of their experiences in a nonjudgmental way. Supportive tutor can mitigate intention to leave by increasing self-compassion ability. Implications for International Audience Nursing education programs should implement workshops and briefings to develop students' self-compassion ability. This can foster perceived caring efficacy in students and reduce intention to leave.