Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease (COVID‑19) causes significant psychological distress among
nursing students. College‑bound nursing students might have preferred different types of coping
strategies to deal with psychological distress. This study aims to measure the psychological distress
and role of coping styles to mediate the stress level among the baccalaureate nursing students amid
the COVID‑19 pandemic.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross‑sectional online survey was conducted in December 2020 at
a nursing college attached to a tertiary care teaching hospital, North India. Nearly 251 baccalaureate
nursing students completed the Impact of Event Scale‑Revised (IES‑R) and Coping Orientation to
Problems Experienced Inventory (Brief‑COPE) scale to report their psychological distress and coping
styles, respectively. Chi‑square test, independent sample t‑test followed by binary and multivariable
regression 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 in
nursing students. Psychological distress found a significant association with age (P = 0.022), academic
class (P = 0.016), travel history (P = 0.034), and being positive reverse transcription–polymerase
chain reaction (RT‑PCR) for COVID‑19 status of self (P = 0.018) and family members in the medical
profession (P = 0.013). In binary logistic regression, stress level found a significant association with
first‑year academic level (OR: 3.250, 95% CI: 1.429–7.390, P = 0.005) and family members in the
medical profession (OR: 4.44, 95% CI: 1.019–19.382, P = 0.047). Adaptive coping styles were more
frequently 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 stress
in students, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS: Coronavirus pandemic causes significant distress among nursing students. Students
were able to manage stress using acceptance and religious/spiritual coping strategies. During the
pandemic, stress management to support mental health is highly recommended.
Keywords
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