Associations among stressors, perceived stress, and psychological distress in nursing students: a mixed methods longitudinal study of a Hong Kong sample

Frontiers in Psychology

Psychology

Winnie Lai Sheung Cheng¹  Mandy Man Ho²  Peggy Pik Kei Chow³  Florence Mei Fung Wong³ 

[1] School of Health Sciences, Caritas Institute of Higher Education, Tseung Kwan O New Town, Hong Kong SAR, China;School of Nursing, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China;School of Nursing, Tung Wah College, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China;

关键词: nursing students;    stress;    psychological distress;    stressors;    coping;    mixed methods;    longitudinal study;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1234354

 received in 2023-06-08, accepted in 2023-08-04,  发布年份 2023

来源: Frontiers

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundNursing students are at risk for high-stress levels and psychological distress. Limited longitudinal studies have been conducted examining factors associated with stress levels and psychological distress of nursing students in their course of study.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the levels of stress and corresponding stressors, particularly those predicting psychological distress, among nursing students over their 5 years of study.MethodsA longitudinal design, using questionnaires and focus group interviews of a single cohort of nursing students in Hong Kong and following them over their 5 years of training. The Stressors in Nursing Students Scale-Chinese version and the Chinese version of General Health Questionnaire-12 were used to assess stress levels and psychological distress, respectively.ResultsNinety-seven participants completed the questionnaires 5 times. Quantitative findings revealed that the overall stress levels of the nursing students increased over 5 years (from mean = 3.08 to 3.33), with the highest levels in the second wave (mean = 3.33). Nursing students experienced higher stress during years 2 (p = 0.006) and 4 (p = 0.037). Psychological distress was the highest in year 3 (sum score = 18.47) (p = 0.002) but declined from year 4 (p < 0.001). Thematic analysis revealed that academic performance issues, coping challenges, unfavorable learning environments, relationships were identified as the stressors. However, nursing students also used positive coping strategies to pursue success and seek support.ConclusionThis study suggests that the year of study is a significant predictor of stress levels among nursing students, especially during the first and senior years due to heavy academic workload. Psychological distress was observed among nursing students, and those who worked more part-time jobs tended to report higher levels of distress. The junior year was associated with higher levels of distress related to financial and time-related stress, while academic and personal problems were more prevalent during the senior year.

【 授权许可】

Unknown   
Copyright © 2023 Cheng, Chow, Wong and Ho.