ABSTRACT NUMBER: ESOC2026A1174 SOCIAL ATTACHMENT, CULTURAL COMPETENCE AND CARING BEHAVIOR IN NURSES CARING FOR STROKE PATIENTS

Abstract Background and aims Stroke care is increasingly delivered in culturally diverse healthcare environments shaped by global migration, where nurses play a central role in patient recovery. Alongside clinical skills, nursing care in stroke settings involves psychosocial dimensions such as social attachment style, cultural competence, and caring behavior. However, the interrelations between these dimensions and their variation across healthcare systems remain insufficiently understood. This study aimed to examine associations between social attachment, cultural competence, and caring behavior among nurses caring for stroke patients, and to compare psychosocial profiles across healthcare systems. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among registered nurses involved in the care of stroke patients within two healthcare systems. Participants completed validated self-report measures assessing social attachment style, cultural competence, caring behavior, and burnout. Analyses included group comparisons and association analyses. Results The final sample included 370 nurses. Significant differences were observed between the participating healthcare systems in social attachment styles, cultural competence, caring behavior, and burnout. Across the study sample, social attachment style was significantly associated with both cultural competence (β = −0.12, p = .01) and caring behavior (β = 0.11, p = .03). Cultural competence and caring behavior were moderately correlated (r = .52, p < .001), demonstrating stable associations across analyses. Conclusions These findings emphasize the relevance of psychosocial dimensions of nursing care in stroke settings. While social attachment reflects relatively stable individual differences that should be acknowledged, cultural competence and caring behavior represent professional capacities that can be developed through education and training to support culturally responsive stroke nursing care. Conflict of interest Valeriya Huendgen-Dziadik: Nothing to disclose. Silvia Koton: Nothing to disclose