The mediating role of resilience in job satisfaction and burnout among Chinese plateau military personnel

Despite the challenging working conditions in plateau regions, research on factors influencing job satisfaction among military personnel in these areas is limited, particularly regarding burnout and resilience. Job satisfaction is closely linked to career development and work effectiveness. Given the unique occupational characteristics of military personnel, particularly those stationed in plateau regions, it is essential to examine their job satisfaction. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of burnout on the job satisfaction of military personnel in plateau regions and to explore whether resilience serves as a mediating factor in this relationship. A cross-sectional survey was conducted involving 2,054 military personnel from Tibet and Qinghai provinces in China by stratified random cluster sampling. The instruments utilized included the Maslach Burnout Inventory, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and Job Satisfaction Scale. Hierarchical linear regression analysis was employed to identify predictors of job satisfaction, while structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the pathway from burnout to job satisfaction. The results from hierarchical linear regression indicated that both burnout and resilience are significant predictors of job satisfaction among military personnel in plateau areas (P < 0.01). In SEM analysis, the total effect of burnout on job satisfaction was found to be -8.862 (95%CI[-9.049, -8.673], P < 0.001). Furthermore, resilience partially mediated the relationship between burnout and job satisfaction; specifically, the indirect effect accounted for 24.6% of the total effect.These findings suggest that burnout significantly impacts job satisfaction among military personnel stationed in plateau regions while highlighting that resilience can mitigate some negative effects associated with burnout on job satisfaction. Consequently, it is recommended that military managers focus on enhancing military personnel' resilience as a strategy for better coping with various occupational pressures encountered in plateau environments-ultimately improving work efficiency and supporting healthy career development for these individuals.