Linking the effects of mindfulness and strengths use on work engagement: Two three-wave longitudinal studies

Although strengths use has been found to promote employee wellbeing and performance, only a limited range of research has investigated its personal antecedents. Based on positive psychology, the present study examined the roles of mindfulness and perceived supervisor support in enhancing strengths use and work engagement. The study focused on two three-wave longitudinal surveys of nurses in Japanese hospitals (n = 459; n = 248). The results of structural equation modeling indicated that mindfulness had a full indirect effect on work engagement mediated through strengths use in both surveys. The results also show that, in both studies, perceived supervisor support for strengths use had direct and indirect effects on work engagement mediated through strengths use. However, the effect of perceived supervisor support for strengths use on mindfulness was significant in Study 1, but not in Study 2. This study contributes to positive psychology research by identifying the indirect effects of mindfulness on enhancing work engagement as mediated through strengths use.