The mediating role of spiritual intelligence in the relationship between emotional intelligence and mobbing perception among healthcare professionals

Abstract

Abstract This study examines workplace bullying (mobbing) among healthcare professionals through the lens of cognitive, emotional, and spiritual resources. The healthcare sector is characterized by high stress levels, heavy workloads, and complex interpersonal dynamics, all of which increase the risk of mobbing. While the protective role of emotional intelligence has been in the literature, the role of spiritual intelligence in this process remains unclear. Accordingly, this study investigates the mediating role of SI in the relationship between EI and mobbing perception. This study employs a cross-sectional quantitative design and was conducted with 907 healthcare professionals working in both public and private sectors in Türkiye. Data were collected through snowball sampling from 907 healthcare professionals working in both public and private sector hospitals across Türkiye. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were performed, and the mediating effect was tested using the bootstrap method. The findings indicate that EI has a significant negative effect on MP. EI also positively influences SI. In turn, SI is positively associated with MP. Moreover, SI exerts a partial and inconsistent (competitive) mediating effect in the relationship between EI and MP. Specifically, while EI directly reduces MP, it may indirectly contribute to an increase in such perceptions through SI. The findings suggest that MP are shaped not only by organizational factors but also by individual psychological characteristics. EI appears to play a protective role by enabling individuals to regulate and interpret negative workplace experiences more effectively. In contrast, individuals with higher levels of SI may exhibit heightened sensitivity to ethical violations and perceived injustices, which may lead to increased recognition of mobbing behaviors. These findings highlight that MP is not a unidimensional construct but rather a complex, multilayered phenomenon shaped by the interaction of emotional and spiritual processes.