How mindfulness impacts perceived work stress among air traffic controllers: Evidence from Türkiye

Air traffic controllers (ATCOs) perform one of the most cognitively and emotionally demanding professions in the aviation sector. This profession requires constant vigilance, rapid decision-making, and a high level of resilience under time pressure. These occupational demands often lead to elevated levels of work-related stress, which may compromise not only individual well-being but also organizational performance and aviation safety. Mindfulness, defined as a non-judgemental awareness of present experiences, has been proposed as a protective factor against stress. Although the relationship between mindfulness and job stress has been studied in different sectors and professional groups in the literature, there are very limited studies for ATCOs. This study investigates the relationship between mindfulness and perceived work stress among air traffic controllers in Türkiye. In this study, quantitative research method was used. The population of the study consists of air traffic controllers working in Turkish airspace. Data were collected through a survey from 335 air traffic controllers selected using convenience sampling and analyzed using appropriate statistical methods. According to the research findings, it was determined that there was a significant negative correlation between work related stress and the sub-dimensions of mindfulness, such as observing, defining, acting with awareness, and non-reactivity to internal experiences. In addition, acting with awareness was found to be a statistically significant predictor of work related stress.