Cognitive flexibility, resilience, and anger management among intensive care unit health care workers: a cross-sectional study in Turkiye

Abstract

Purpose: Cognitive flexibility, resilience, and anger management are critical for health care workers operating in high-stress environments such as intensive care units (ICUs). This study examined the levels of cognitive flexibility, resilience, and anger management among ICU health care workers and explored the relationships among these variables. Method: This descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted between July and October 2022 in the ICUs of a training and research hospital in T & uumlrkiye (N = 147). Data were collected via the Cognitive Flexibility Inventory, the Brief Resilience Scale, and the Trait Anger and Anger Expression Scale. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and Pearson correlation analyses were performed. Results: The participants showed high cognitive flexibility (mean +/- SDCognitive Flexibility Inventory = 78.79 +/- 10.13) and moderate resilience (Brief Resilience Scale = 20.76 +/- 4.49). Cognitive flexibility was positively correlated with resilience (r = .574, p < .001). Resilience and cognitive flexibility were negatively associated with trait anger and maladaptive anger expression styles (p < .05), whereas resilience was positively associated with anger control (p < .05). Conclusion: Cognitive flexibility and resilience may function as protective factors against maladaptive anger responses among ICU health care workers. Strengthening these competencies may support emotional regulation, reduce burnout risk, and improve the quality of clinical and assistive care in intensive care settings.