The Mediating Role of Team Resilience at Work Between Teamwork Practice Environment, Team Functioning and Cohesion in Oncology: A Cross-Sectional Study

Oncology teams operate in highly demanding clinical environments marked by recurrent acute and chronic stressors that can impair optimal quality of care. Although the practice environment is known to influence team processes, the specific contribution of team resilience at work to team effectiveness remains insufficiently delineated in oncology. This cross-sectional study investigated whether team resilience at work mediates the associations between the teamwork practice environment and two core indicators of team effectiveness: team functioning and team cohesion. A total of 189 oncology team members in Québec (Canada) completed an e-questionnaire between February 2022 and June 2023. Structural equation modeling was conducted to assess an evidence-informed mediation model. The tested model revealed acceptable fit. Findings showed significant indirect effects consistent with a mediating role of team resilience at work in the relationships between the teamwork practice environment and team functioning and team cohesion. Some dimensions-resourcefulness, alignment, efforts to understand problems, wellness awareness and being proud to work in the team-loaded strongly on the resilience concept. These results highlight the relevance of reinforcing team resilience capacities to sustain high-quality care in oncology settings. Interventions aiming to enhance team effectiveness may benefit from explicitly integrating strategies designed to strengthen resilience-related dimensions within oncology teams.