The relationship between mindfulness, work-related stress management, and job satisfaction in a sample of Italian correctional officers

Introduction: The present research aims to investigate the relationship between mindfulness, work-related stress management, and job satisfaction in the correctional context. Methods: The study enlisted the participation of 131 Italian correctional officers (F = 72,5%) in working age. The quantification of mindfulness levels was achieved by implementing the Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire-short form (FFMQ-SF). A subset of the Organizational-Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (ORG EIQ) facilitated the assessment of work-related stress management. A 5-item Likert scale was employed to gauge job satisfaction. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) of the sample were analyzed. Subsequently, reliability analyses were performed using Cronbach's alpha. Finally, a simple mediation analysis was conducted to define the role of work-related stress management, and the direct, indirect, and total effects were calculated. Results: Concerning the indirect effect, mindfulness had a significant impact on work-related stress management [β=0.42; p<.05], which, in turn, showed a significant effect on job satisfaction [β=0.26; p<.001]. Discussion and Conclusion: Our findings highlight mindfulness's potential and beneficial effects within social and occupational contexts, especially in the case of high-risk populations such as correctional officers. Take-home message: This study indicates a statistically significant correlation between mindfulness, job satisfaction, and work-related stress management among correctional officers. In particular, mindfulness has a significant direct effect on job satisfaction.