. Ankita Sharma; . Rajesh Kumar
Volume 12, Issue 9 , October 2022, , Pages 1-9
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease (COVID‑19) causes significant psychological distress amongnursing students. College‑bound nursing students might have preferred different types of ...
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BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease (COVID‑19) causes significant psychological distress amongnursing students. College‑bound nursing students might have preferred different types of copingstrategies to deal with psychological distress. This study aims to measure the psychological distressand role of coping styles to mediate the stress level among the baccalaureate nursing students amidthe COVID‑19 pandemic.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional online survey was conducted in December 2020 ata nursing college attached to a tertiary care teaching hospital, North India. Nearly 251 baccalaureatenursing students completed the Impact of Event Scale‑Revised (IES‑R) and Coping Orientation toProblems Experienced Inventory (Brief‑COPE) scale to report their psychological distress and copingstyles, respectively. Chi‑square test, independent sample t‑test followed by binary and multivariableregression were used to identify the factors associated with distress in students during the pandemic.RESULTS: Students’ mean age was 22.22 ± 1.24 years. The mean IES‑R was 19.59 ± 12.45 innursing students. Psychological distress found a significant association with age (P = 0.022), academicclass (P = 0.016), travel history (P = 0.034), and being positive reverse transcription–polymerasechain reaction (RT‑PCR) for COVID‑19 status of self (P = 0.018) and family members in the medicalprofession (P = 0.013). In binary logistic regression, stress level found a significant association withfirst‑year academic level (OR: 3.250, 95% CI: 1.429–7.390, P = 0.005) and family members in themedical profession (OR: 4.44, 95% CI: 1.019–19.382, P = 0.047). Adaptive coping styles were morefrequently preferred than maladaptive coping styles (54% vs 41%). Adaptive (r = 0.295, P < 0.001)and maladaptive coping (r = 0.403, P < 0.001) shows a significant positive relationship with stressin students, respectively.CONCLUSIONS: Coronavirus pandemic causes significant distress among nursing students. Studentswere able to manage stress using acceptance and religious/spiritual coping strategies. During thepandemic, stress management to support mental health is highly recommended.