Anxiety sensitivity and occupational fatigue in meteorological exploration personnel: a serial mediation model of recovery experience and emotion regulation self-efficacy

Background Meteorological exploration personnel work in chronically high-risk and high-demand environments that challenge their psychological well-being and operational safety. Occupational fatigue impairs cognitive function and performance, threatening both mission safety and data quality. Prior research has not fully elucidated the internal psychological mechanisms linking stable traits to fatigue in this population. Grounded in Conservation of Resources (COR) Theory and Self-Efficacy Theory, this study examined the association between anxiety sensitivity and occupational fatigue and tested the serial mediating roles of recovery experience and emotion regulation self-efficacy. Methods A questionnaire survey was administered to 311 meteorological exploration personnel. Participants completed the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3), Recovery Experience Questionnaire (REQ), Swedish Occupational Fatigue Inventory-25 (SOFI-C), and Regulatory Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale (RESE). Structural equation modeling (SEM) and bootstrap methods were used to test the mediation effects. Results The SEM analysis revealed that (1) anxiety sensitivity significantly and positively predicted occupational fatigue; (2) recovery experience mediated this relationship; (3) emotion regulation self-efficacy served as a partial mediator; and (4) a significant serial mediation effect was observed through recovery experience and emotion regulation self-efficacy. Individuals with high anxiety sensitivity reported poorer recovery, which subsequently undermined their confidence in emotion regulation and exacerbated fatigue. Conclusion This study provides the first empirical test of a serial mediation model linking anxiety sensitivity to occupational fatigue via recovery experience and emotion regulation self-efficacy among meteorological exploration personnel. Although the relationship was predominantly direct, the significant indirect pathways confirmed the hypothesized mechanistic roles of compromised recovery and eroded self-efficacy in this high-stress context. The findings extend the explanatory scope of COR Theory and Self-Efficacy Theory and provide a nuanced foundation for targeted interventions.