Abstract: Objective To explore the mediating effects of occupational stress response and occupational deviant behavior on role overload and mental health literacy among nurses in the nephrology department,and to provide strategies for improving the mental health literacy of medical staff. Methods From December 2023 to January 2024,401 nephrology nurses from 9 tertiary general hospitals in Nanchong City were selected as the subjects by convenience sampling method. The general information questionnaire,role overload scale,occupational stress response scale,occupational deviation behavior scale and mental health literacy scale were used to conduct a questionnaire survey,and the data were analyzed. Results The scores of role overload,occupational stress response,occupational deviation behavior and mental health literacy among 401 nephrology nurses were （17.78±4.30）,（44.06±7.72）,（78.10±14.72） and （126.03±18.03）points,respectively. The comparison of role overload scores among nephrology nurses of different ages,working years,education levels,and self-rated health status showed statistically significant differences（all P<0.05）. There were statistically significant differences in occupational stress response scores among nephrology nurses with different ages,working years,education level,weekly night shift times and self-rated health status（all P<0.05）. There were statistically significant differences in occupational deviant behavior scores among nephrology nurses with different ages,working years,education level and self-rated health status（all P<0.05）. There were statistically significant differences in the scores of mental health literacy among nephrology nurses with different gender,age,working years,weekly night shift times and self-rated health status（all P<0.05）. The scores of mental health literacy were negatively correlated with the scores of role overload,occupational stress response and occupational deviant behavior（all P<0.01）. According to the mediation model constructed by Mplus 8.0,it was found that role overload had a significant direct effect on mental health literacy（β=-0.377,P<0.01）,and role overload could also indirectly affect mental health literacy through three pathways,including the independent mediating effect of occupational stress response（β=0.404,P<0.01）,the independent mediating effect of occupational deviant behavior（β=0.064,P<0.01）,and the chain mediating effect of occupational stress response and occupational deviant behavior（β=0.068,P<0.01）,accounting for 7.5% of the total effect,with a total mediating effect value of 0.533,accounting for 58.6% of the total effect. Conclusion The occupational stress response and occupational deviant behavior of 401 nephrology nurses play an intermediary role between role overload and mental health literacy. Reducing occupational stress response level and occupational deviant behavior can promote the improvement of mental health literacy of nephrology nurses.

Key words: Nephrology nurses, Occupational stress reaction, Role overload, Occupational deviation behavior, Mental health literacy, Mediating effect