The moderating effects of gender and age on the relationship between stress management training, work engagement, and epidemic anxiety in healthcare professionals

Abstract This study explores the role of stress management training (SMT) in mitigating epidemic-related anxiety among healthcare professionals, focusing on how gender and age influence its effectiveness via work engagement. A sample of 511 healthcare professionals was surveyed, using the Epidemic Disease Anxiety Scale to measure anxiety levels associated with epidemics, and the Work Engagement Scale to assess work engagement. The study employed a moderated mediation model to evaluate the conditional effects of SMT, with gender and age as moderators impacting the relationship between work engagement and epidemic anxiety. Findings reveal a significant moderating effect of gender and age in the relationship between SMT and anxiety reduction. Gender differences were evident, with males generally displaying lower anxiety and higher engagement post-training compared to females. Age also played a role, as professionals aged 27–35 benefited most from the training, showing enhanced work engagement and reduced anxiety levels. Additionally, interaction effects between SMT and specific age groups underscore that younger healthcare professionals respond variably to training, suggesting potential developmental or career-related influences. SMT enhances psychological resilience through increased work engagement and reduced anxiety in healthcare professionals, with variable effects across gender and age. These insights are relevant for developing personalized interventions that prepare frontline workers for future public health emergencies, including those stemming from climate-related threats. While climate-related crises may represent a related context, this study does not draw empirical conclusions on that matter. Instead, it suggests future research could explore the applicability of such interventions to broader societal stressors.