Predictors of psychological distress amongst nursing students: A multicenter cross-sectional study

• Published in: Nurse education in practice 2020-03, Vol.44, p.102758-102758, Article 102758
• Main Authors: Salvarani, Valerio, Ardenghi, Stefano, Rampoldi, Giulia, Bani, Marco, Cannata, Paola, Ausili, Davide, Di Mauro, Stefania, Strepparava, Maria Grazia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Age Factors; College students; Coping; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data collection; Dispositional mindfulness; Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; Emotion regulation; Emotional Regulation; Emotional Response; Emotions; Empathy; Empathy. acknowledgements; Ethics; Female; Gender; Gender differences; Health status; Humans; Individual Characteristics; Interpersonal Relationship; Italy; Job Satisfaction; Likert scale; Likert Scales; Male; Mental health; Mindfulness; Nursing; Nursing education; Nursing Students; Nursing students' stress; Occupational stress; Personality Traits; Perspective Taking; Polls & surveys; Psychological aspects; Psychological Distress; Psychological Patterns; Psychological well being; Questionnaires; Self Control; Sociodemographics; Stress; Students, Nursing - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires - statistics & numerical data; Teaching hospitals; Teaching Methods; Theory Practice Relationship; Universities; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-5953; 1873-5223
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nepr.2020.102758

Undergraduate nursing students show high-stress levels. In students, stress has been linked to adverse physical and psychological health outcomes and academic and clinical demands. To date, there are few studies dealing with psychological predictors of stress amongst nursing students. This study aimed to assess psychological distress in a sample of Italian nursing students and to explore its relationship with sociodemographic and psychological factors, specifically dispositional mindfulness, emotional regulation difficulties, and empathy. A multicenter cross-sectional survey design was employed. Participants were recruited from five teaching hospitals associated with a public university in northern Italy. A sample of 622 undergraduate nursing students was recruited. Participants were recruited on campus and completed a paper-and-pencil survey. More than 70% of nursing students reported meaningful levels of psychological distress. Students with higher dispositional mindfulness scores had lower psychological distress, whereas emotional regulation difficulties and empathic personal distress were positively associated with perceived stress. No gender differences were found in stress levels, but senior students showed lower psychological distress than more junior students. Interventions aimed at increasing mindfulness facets and improving emotional regulation strategies may help to reduce perceived psychological stress in nursing students. •High levels of psychological distress are prevalent in nursing students.•There are no gender differences in nursing students' stress levels.•Senior nursing students show lower psychological distress than more junior students.•Dispositional mindfulness is a protective factor for stress in nursing students.•Improving emotional regulation strategies is recommended in nurse education.