Coping Behavior Inventory Research Articles

Perceived stress and coping strategies among undergraduate nursing students in the psychiatric practicum during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional quantitative study

ABSTRACT Objectives: This study aimed to explore perceived stress and coping strategies among undergraduate nursing students in the psychiatric practicum during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed in this study. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires consisting of demographic variables, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Coping Behavior Inventory (CBI). Results: Of the 73 participants, 82.2% were women. The mean age was 21.25 ± 0.69 years. The overall mean score of PSS was 1.45 ± 0.48, and that of CBI was 1.93 ± 0.31. The major sources of perceived stress were taking care of patients (1.72 ± 0.54) and assignments and workload (1.72 ± 0.75). The major coping strategies to deal with stress were problem-solving (2.66 ± 0.52) and staying optimistic (2.43 ± 0.73). Pearson’s correlation analyses revealed that participants who utilized the avoidance strategy (r = 0.416) reported high-stress levels, whereas participants who utilized problem-solving (r = −0.306) and staying optimistic (r = −0.527) reported low-stress levels. Conclusion: The nursing students perceived moderate stress mainly from taking care of patients as well as assignments and workload. Problem-solving and staying optimistic were the most frequently used coping strategies. Compared with findings from other studies, our data suggested that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on perceived stress was not apparent possibly due to well-established approaches and education for infection prevention and control in our hospitals and schools. Our findings may provide valuable information to maximize students’ learning opportunities.

Investigation of the relationship between the self-efficacy levels in clinical practice and coping behaviors with stress among international nursing students

BackgroundIn this era of rapid globalization, our knowledge regarding the clinical performance perceptions and stress coping behaviors of international students in nursing education is quite limited. The unexplored nature of this topic has the potential to manifest as future clinical challenges. ObjectiveTo examine the relationship between international nursing students' perceived self-efficacy in clinical applications and their coping behaviors with stress. MethodsOur cross-sectional and correlational study collected data from 117 international nursing students at a state university between June 2022 and July 2023. The data collection tools included the Participant Identification Form, Self-Efficacy in Clinical Performance Scale (SECP), and The Coping Behavior Inventory with Stress Scale for Nursing Students (CBIS-NS). t-test, ANOVA, correlation analysis, and Bonferroni test were used for data analysis. ResultsStudents, predominantly Azerbaijani (15.4 %) and 64.1 % female, engaged in practices, mainly in medical (34.2 %) and surgical units (33.3 %). Clinical self-efficacy was high, stress coping moderate. A significant positive link existed between coping behaviors and clinical self-efficacy (p < 0.05). Those in public health/mental health units (8.12 ± 1.46) had higher self-efficacy than surgical unit peers (6.94 ± 1.71) (p < 0.05). Satisfied students showed better stress coping (t = 2.645; p = 0.009). Weak positive links were found between transfer/avoidance coping behaviors and clinical self-efficacy (p < 0.05). ConclusionThis study demonstrated a statistically significant positive relationship between international nursing students' perceptions of clinical performance and coping behaviors with stress. Given the rapid globalization of education in the global era, especially in diverse educational and clinical environments with students from different ethnic backgrounds, it is recommended to develop new intervention strategies to enhance students' clinical performances and foster positive coping behaviors with stress.

Investigation of the Effect of Laughter Yoga on Stress-Coping Behaviors in Nursing Students’ Starting University

Aim. This study was aimed to investigate whether the practice of laughter yoga in nursing students who just started university can help them cope with stress. Design. An experimental randomized controlled study was conducted. Methods. The research was conducted with first-year students (n = 38) who were willing to participate in the study. The intervention group took part in six 45–50 minute laughter yoga sessions twice a week for three weeks. Results. The comparison of the mean and total scores obtained from the Coping Behavior Inventory and Physio-Psycho-Social Response Scale by the participants in the control and intervention groups before and after the implementation of the laughter yoga practices demonstrated that there was a statistically significant difference between the two tests in the intervention group and the difference was especially evident between the pre- and posttest scores obtained from the Coping Behavior Inventory. Conclusions. In this study, laughter yoga practice helped the participating nursing students who just started university to cope with stress. It can be recommended that laughter yoga should be integrated into the curriculum in schools where nursing education is provided as a way of coping with stress, that its use should be expanded, and that randomized controlled experimental studies in which its physiological and psychological effects in different groups are investigated with objective and subjective parameters should be conducted.

Adaptation and validation of the Coping Behavior Inventory into European Portuguese

Adaptation and validation of the Coping Behavior Inventory into European Portuguese

The effect of a stress management program on first-year nursing students’ clinical stress: A randomized controlled experimental study

BackgroundClinical clerkships lie at the core of nursing education and are crucial for developing professional skills. However, nursing students, especially freshmen, often encounter significant stress during their clinical experiences. ObjectivesThis study investigated the effect of a stress management program on first-year nursing students' clinical stress levels. DesignThis randomized controlled experimental study adopted a pretest-posttest-follow-up test research design. Settings and participantsParticipants were recruited using simple randomization. The sample consisted of 64 first-year nursing students (intervention = 32; control = 32) from the nursing department of the faculty of health sciences of a university in Türkiye. MethodsParticipants were randomized into intervention and control groups. The intervention group attended a stress management program, one weekly session for five weeks (intervention). The research was conducted between 21.02.2022 and 20.05.2022. Data were collected using a personal information form, the Perceived Stress Scale, the Physio-Psycho-Social Response Scale, and the Coping Behavior Inventory. The data were collected pretest and posttest the intervention and two months follow-up test. The data were analyzed using the two-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). ResultsThe changes in the Perceived Stress Scale mean scores, group*time interaction, were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The results showed that the changes in the Coping Behavior Inventory “problem-solving” subscale mean scores, group*time interaction, were statistically significant (p < 0.05). The multiple comparisons showed a statistically significant difference in posttest Physio-Psycho-Social Response Scale “social behavioral symptoms” and “emotional symptoms” subscale scores between the intervention and control groups (p < 0.05). The multiple comparisons showed a statistically significant difference in posttest Coping Behavior Inventory “problem-solving” and “avoidance” subscale scores between the intervention and control groups (p < 0.05). ConclusionThe stress management program helps first-year nursing students experience less stress and develop problem-solving skills before they perform clinical clerkships. It also allows them to suffer from fewer emotional and social behavioral symptoms and exhibit fewer avoidance behaviors.

The Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence and Coping Behaviors among Nurses in the Intensive Care Unit.

Nurses are expected to experience chronic stress and be involved in unhealthy actions more frequently due to the rising demands of medical care, which impact every aspect of their individual and professional lives. Individuals with higher emotional intelligence could cope and adjust to environmental changes and social constraints better than those with lower emotional intelligence. The objective of this study was to assess the relationship between the emotional intelligence and coping behaviors of nurses in the intensive care units (ICUs) in the West Bank. The study was a cross-sectional method done on convenience sample of 266 ICU nurses. Data collection was performed by "Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test" (SSEIT) and the "Coping Behavior Inventory". Statistical analysis was completed using SPSS version 23. Pearson correlation was used to measure the relationship between the emotional intelligence and coping behaviors. The analysis indicated that emotional intelligence was high (mean ± SD = 150.8 ± 2.1, range 33-165). Also, the analysis indicated that coping behavior of the participants was moderate (mean ± SD = 29.3 ± 15.2, range 0-76). Furthermore, the analysis indicated that there was a moderate positive relationship between nurses' emotional intelligence and their coping behaviors. Coping behavior was indicated to have a moderately positive relationship with emotional intelligence. However, social skills or managing others' emotions indicated low positive relationship and emotional intelligence. There is a negligible correlation between emotional intelligence and perception of emotions, managing emotions in the self, and utilizing emotions. Training in emotional intelligence is essential for nurses since it improves both their personal and professional life and coping mechanisms.

Navigating the New Normal: A Study on Junior Nursing Students’ Stress Perception and Coping Mechanisms in Post-Pandemic Hospital Learning

Background: This study delves into the clinical stress experienced by junior nursing students during their initial hospital-related learning experiences (RLE), exploring the relationship between coping strategies and stress alongside demographic variables. Purpose: The primary objective was to examine the stress levels of 152 regular junior nursing students and assess how coping mechanisms vary based on demographic factors. The study aimed to shed light on the predominant stressors and coping strategies prevalent in this cohort. Methods: A sequential mixed-method approach was employed, utilizing a tool adapted from Sheu (1997; 2002). The tool included a demographic information sheet, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Coping Behavior Inventory (CBI), and semi-structured interview questions. Data were collected from a diverse group of nursing students, encompassing aspects such as sex, age, socioeconomic status, stressors, and coping strategies. Results: The study revealed a predominantly female (84.7%) student body with an average age of 21, and approximately 38% hailing from middle-income households. Key stressors included concerns about assignments, workload, daily life stressors, and perceived inadequacy in professional knowledge and skills. Coping mechanisms predominantly involved maintaining optimism and engaging in problem-solving. Importantly, demographic variables such as sex, age, and socioeconomic status did not show statistically significant distinctions in clinical stress perception. Conclusions: Junior nursing students generally experience moderate stress levels, primarily attributed to assignments, workloads, daily life, and perceived deficits in professional knowledge and skills. Notably, maintaining optimism, problem-solving, and seeking support through transference were identified as prevalent coping mechanisms. The study emphasizes the need for prioritizing stress management support and implementing stress reduction strategies within nursing programs to enhance the well-being of junior nursing students during their initial hospital-related learning experiences.

Sources of Stress and Coping Behaviors among Nursing Students Throughout Their First Clinical Training.

Clinical training allows nursing students to acquire and strengthen their psychomotor abilities, which is an important component of nursing education. The clinical components of nursing training programs were much more demanding than the academic ones. The purpose of this study was to examine sources of stress-related and coping behaviors during first clinical training among nursing students in the Arab American University. The study was cross-sectional and conducted with a convenience sample of 266 participants of nursing students. Data collection was performed by "Perceived Stress Scale and the Coping Behavior Inventory." The data were analyzed by using the descriptive, that is, frequency and percentage, mean, and standard deviation. The results revealed that the perceived stress mean was 41.2 (SD = 19.5). The main stressors were taking care of the patients (M = 11.4 ± 0.85) and teachers and nursing staff (M = 8.32 ± 5.3). Coping behaviors mean was (M = 29.0 ± 15.2). The main coping behavior was problem-solving (M = 9.5 ± 5.6). The study confirmed that students perceived moderate levels of stress in their first clinical training, and the most common sources of stress were taking care of the patients and teachers and nursing staff. However, the main coping behavior was problem-solving.

Clinical environmental stressors and coping behaviors among undergraduate nursing students in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the level of stress, stressors sources, and coping strategies used among female Saudi undergraduate nursing students during their clinical practice. MethodsA cross-sectional design was used. Using a convenience sampling technique, female nursing students in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Alahsa who enrolled in clinical courses were recruited from a governmental university from January to May 2022. Data were collected using a self-report questionnaire including socio-demographic characteristics, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Coping Behavior Inventory (CBI). ResultsThe degree of stress perceived by the 332 participants ranged from 3 to 99 (54.77 ± 0.95). Stress from assignments and workload was the most common type of stressor perceived by nursing students, with a score of 2.61 ± 0.94, followed by stress from the environment, with a score of 1.18 ± 0.47. Meanwhile, the students used staying optimistic as the most adopted strategy, with a score of 2.38 ± 0.95, followed by the transference strategy, a score of 2.36 ± 0.71, and the problem-solving strategy scored 2.35 ± 1.01. The coping strategy of avoidance is positively correlated with all of the stressor types (P < 0.01), while the problem-solving strategy is negatively correlated with stress from peers and daily life (r = −0.126, P < 0.05). Transference is positively correlated with stress from assignments and workload (r = 0.121, P < 0.05), and stress from teachers and nursing staff (r = 0.156, P < 0.01). Lastly, staying optimistic is negatively correlated with stress from taking care of patients (r = −0.149, P < 0.01), and with stress from lack of professional knowledge and skills (r = −0.245, P < 0.01). ConclusionsThese research findings are significant for nursing educators to identify nursing students’ main stressors and coping strategies used. Effective countermeasures should be taken to promote a healthy learning environment, decrease the level of stressors and improve students’ coping strategies during clinical practice.

Nursing education stress and coping behaviors in Turkish and the United States nursing students: A descriptive study

AimThe aim of the present study was to compare nursing education stress and coping behaviors of nursing students in two different countries. BackgroundNursing students face with stress factors affecting academic performance during nursing education. Coping strategies can help students manage their stress levels. DesignThis study was performed with a descriptive design at the nursing department of two universities in Turkey and the United States. MethodsThe sample consisted of 986 students in total (807 students from Turkey and 179 students from the United States). Data were collected by a questionnaire, using the Nursing Education Stress Scale and the Coping Behavior Inventory. ResultsThe mean score of Turkish students on the Nursing Education Stress Scale was (68.34 ± 16.57) significantly higher than the United States students (50.91 ± 15.53) (p < 0.05). The mean scores of the sub-groups regarding avoidance, problem solving and transference behaviors of the Coping Behavior Inventory of the Turkish students were significantly higher than that of the United States students (p < 0.05); whereas the mean score of the optimistic coping behavior sub-group of the scale of the Turkish students’ was lower (p < 0.05). ConclusionsThis study revealed that the nursing students from different countries had different stress levels in nursing education. The most used coping strategy by the nursing students from two countries was avoidance behaviors. Educational programs should be organized to strengthen students' stress coping skills and to use effective coping strategies.

Coping strategies and stressors of nursing students in the care of sex trafficking victims.

During their clinical practice, nursing students face a number of complex clinical situations, which may include treating victims of sex trafficking. These clinical experiences can lead to stress for the nursing students, which may hinder their learning process. Nonetheless, there is very little educational training provided in nursing programmes on this topic. The objective of this study was to identify the coping strategies and stressors perceived by nursing students in the care of sex trafficking victims. A pre-post study of a single group was carried out. The TREND guidelines were followed. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Coping Behavior Inventory (CBI) were used for data collection. On the PSS, the average scores were lower after the intervention in all dimensions, except related to teachers and nursing staff and peers and daily life. Statistically significant differences were found when comparing the results of the total average score of the PSS and the time of measurement (pre/post-intervention) (t(106) = 38.811; P < 0.001). Regarding the Coping Behavior Inventory, the average scores in each dimension increased after the intervention, except transference behaviours. Statistically significant differences were found when comparing the total average score of the questionnaire and the time of measurement (Z = -13.357; P < 0.001). The total stress levels and coping strategies of nursing students in caring for victims of sex trafficking improved significantly after the intervention. Nursing educators should promote the training of future nursing professionals as a potential effective strategy for the rapid identification and adequate care of sex trafficking victims.

The role of positive thinking: a study of telehealth supportive counseling for alcohol abusers

Alcohol abuse is one of the main causes of health problems in the world. In response to these alcohol-related health consequences, telehealth supportive counseling has emerged, offering new strategies of dealing with addition problems. Most of telehealth supportive counseling strategies are focused on coping more precisely with positive and negative thinking.&#x0D; The aim of presented study was to examine the relationships between positive thinking, and other coping strategies inherent to human thinking, to refuse alcohol. For this purpose, a total of 232 people participated in the study, all of them were users of a telehealth supportive counseling in Brazil. A batch of questionnaires was employed. This included the sociodemographic information, IDHEA-AD scores and the Coping Behaviours Inventory (CBI-20).&#x0D; After an analysis of mediation, the results indicated that the relationship between negative and positive thinking might be mediated by the assertiveness to refuse. These results suggest that this type of supportive counseling modality might be helpful for users and health professionals. More research is needed to examine the innumerable possibilities of the telehealth tools using as a strategy to deal with the coping variables related to quitting alcohol use.

Anxiety, perceived stress and coping strategies in nursing students: a cross-sectional, correlational, descriptive study

BackgroundFor many nursing students, clinical training represents a stressful experience. The levels of stress and anxiety may vary during students’ educational training, depending on their ability to adopt behavioral strategies for coping with stress, and other factors. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between anxiety, perceived stress, and the coping strategies used by nursing students during their clinical training.MethodsA cross-sectional correlational descriptive study. The sample consisted of 190 nursing students enrolled in the Nursing Faculty of Ciudad Real University in Spain. Participants provided data on background characteristics and completed the following instruments: the Perceived Stress Scale; the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Coping Behavior Inventory. Relationships between scores were examined using Spearman’s rho.ResultsThe mean age of participants was 20.71 ± 3.89 years (range 18–46 years). Approximately half of the students (47.92%) indicated a moderate level of stress with a mean Perceived Stress Scale score of 22.78 (±8.54). Senior nursing students perceived higher levels of stress than novice students. The results showed a significant correlation for perceived stress and state anxiety (r = 0.463, p < .000) and also for trait anxiety (r = 0.718, p < .000). There was also a significant relationship between the total amount of perceived stress and the following domains of the coping behavior inventory: problem solving (r = −.452, p < .01), self-criticism (r = .408 p < .01), wishful thinking (r = .459, p < .01), social support(r = −.220, p < .01), cognitive restructuring (r = −.375, p < .01), and social withdrawal (r = .388, p < .01). In the current study, the coping strategy most frequently used by students was problem-solving, followed by social support and cognitive restructuring.ConclusionsNursing students in our study presented a moderate level of stress, in addition there was a significant correlation with anxiety. Nursing teachers and clinical preceptors/mentors should be encouraged to develop programs to help prepare nursing students to cope with the challenges they are about to face during their clinical placements.

Stress in the Clinical Learning Environment: Perceptions of First-Year Finnish Nursing Students.

The aim of the study was to examine how first-year Finnish nursing students perceive stress and the coping strategies they use in the clinical learning environment. Stress from the clinical learning environment is a recurrent problem in nursing education. This topic has not been explored in the Finnish context. This is a cross-sectional study using data from 189 first-year nursing students. Students completed the Perceived Stress Scale and Coping Behavior Inventory; t-tests and Pearson correlation analyses were performed. Our sample rarely experienced stress, with a mean stress score of 1.07 (SD = 0.49). A commonly reported stressor was lack of professional knowledge and skills (M = 1.49, SD = 0.82). Transference was the most common coping strategy. Our findings may help nursing teachers understand stressors in the clinical learning environment and support their students to use effective coping strategies, such as problem-solving and optimistic attitudes.

Perceived stress and coping behavior among future nurses: A cross-sectional study in West Bengal, India

Background:Demanding clinical and academic environments have been potential sources of stress among nursing students. Inability to cope effectively often potentiates this stress. If not intervened early, this may have a detrimental effect on health and may eventually affect the future workforce in rendering care.Objectives:The objective of this study was to explore the levels and sources of perceived stress and coping behavior among undergraduate nursing students in West Bengal.Materials and Methods:This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in two nursing training institutions in West Bengal, from July to September 2018, using a validated pretested self-administered questionnaire comprising demographics, Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and coping behavior inventory (CBI). Students having at least 6 months of clinical exposure were invited to participate. Of 256 eligible students, 182 returned completed questionnaires, giving an overall response rate of 71%. Descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis were performed using SPSS 16.0 software.Results:“Stress from assignments and workload” and “problem-solving” was the most prominent stressor and coping behavior (Factor rank 1) respectively among students. Statistically significant correlation was observed between overall mean PSS and CBI score (r = 0.306, P < 0.01). Years of education, self-decision to join, increased screen time, staying at hostel significantly predicted stress (R2 = 0.248, F = 9.640, P < 0.01), and coping behavior (R2 = 0.223, F = 10.077, P < 0.01) among students.Conclusions:Stress from academics and clinics were high among nursing students. As they are the future carers, it is apt to intervene early to mitigate their stress and enhance their coping skills during professional training and practice.

Insights from Clinics: Stress among Nursing Students

This study was carried out to report on the factors promoting nursing students’ stress and their strategies to cope up with the stress situation. Questionnaires were manually distributed to first-year, second-year, third-year, and intern students to check their stress level. The sample was composed of 75 nursing students. Items were rated on a five-point Likert Scale. Stress among nursing students and interns was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Coping Behavior Inventory (CBI). The researchers also gathered data through open-ended questions from 18 intern nursing students. These students were at the completion of their course. This study addresses key issues that will be of interest and benefit to nursing schools that want to tackle and remove the problems of stress among nursing students. It discusses the importance of providing a good environment to students promoting a favorable study experience. This experience may be enhanced by assigning different duties to different departments, which would help in the development of their multitasking skills. This would not be possible without enough support from colleagues and teachers.

Relationship between mental health of nursing students and coping, self-esteem and social support

AimThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the mental health of Turkish nursing students and the stress experienced during their education, their ways of coping, self-esteem, social support and individual factors. BackgroundStudies on nursing students have shown that students who were not in possession of effective coping strategies were at risk of presenting psychiatric symptoms when under stressful conditions. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional, case-control study. The sample consisted of 516 nursing students who were studying in an undergraduate program in Turkey. Participants provided data on sociodemographic characteristics by completing the Nursing Education Stress Scale, Coping Behavior Inventory for Nursing Students, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and the General Health Questionnaire. ResultsThe main factors which were considered to affect the mental health of nursing students, including “total stress” and “self-esteem” scores, “general health” evaluation, “satisfaction with school life” and “presence of a negative event within the last year”, were included in all models of the General Health Questionnaire analysis.Analysis of the data indicated that these factors had strong relationship with mental health of the nursing students. DiscussionIt is recommended that the mental health of students be monitored throughout the nursing education period and that preventive practices should be established in order to forestall mental health problems amongst nursing students. ConclusionThe stress levels of nursing students should be monitored in order to facilitate their ability to cope with stressful situations during their training, and components for coping with stress should be included in the curricula of nursing departments.

Stressors among Nurse Interns' and Their Perception Regarding Coping Strategies

Background: Stress is seen as a modern society’s illness experienced by professionals from different sectors. It has effects on people’s behaviors, communications and efficiency. Healthcare systems usually provide many stimulus that produce stress especially at the beginning of the nursing career due to the differences between the real world and the ideal world of nursing reality shock (Redhwan,.et al 2009). Aim of this study was to assess the stress levels among nurse interns, determining stressors facing nurse interns from their points of view and investigate nurse interns' perception regarding stress coping strategies. Design: A descriptive design was used in this study. Setting: The study was conducted at Ain- Ain-Shams University, El-Demerdash, Pediatrics, and cardiovascular hospitals. Sample: included all the available nurse interns having their training in the aforementioned settings they were 110 nurse interns. Tools: Three tools were used for data collection in this study namely, perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) to assess the stress levels, stressors scale to determine stressors among nurse interns, and Coping Behavior Inventory (CBI) to investigate nurse interns' perception regarding stress coping strategies. Result: the results of this study revealed that the nurse interns had moderate level of stress, and the most stressor experienced by them was stressor from hospital staff and the least one was stressors from taking care of patient, regarding the coping strategies preferred by them avoidance was the most preferred and transference was the least preferred. Conclusion: The results provided valuable information for clinical educators and clinical staff in identifying students’ needs, facilitating their learning in the clinical setting and developing effective interventions to reduce the stress they encounter. Recommendations: it's recommended to provide nurse interns with adequate orientation program in the beginning of their training period to provide guidance and help, supporting them with periodical workshops to improve their skills, and assisting them to overcome any stressors facing them during the internship year.

Psychometric Properties of the Coping Behavior Inventory Among Students of Arabic Universities.

To examine the psychometric properties of the Coping Behavior Inventory (CBI) among Arab students in Jordanian universities. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select the universities and classes from each university. The total sample size was 587 students recruited from seven universities during the academic year 2015. The structure of the CBI was analyzed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using Statistical Package for Social Science and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using AMOS software. EFA for the original CBI showed poor factors structure with low reliabilities. EFA and CFA revealed the modified 15-item and 3-factor scale (Problem Solving, Avoidance, Stay Optimistic), with high goodness of fit indices and strong items loading. The use of the modified version of CBI with students at the university level is recommended.

Stress and Coping Strategies Among Nursing Students

INTRODUCTION: Nursing students suffer from high levels of stress related to academic assignments in addition to clinical skills training. As a psychosocial phenomenon, stress affects students’ academic achievement and wellbeing. Coping mechanisms help students deal with the challenges arising from stress.AIMS: To illustrate the level of stress and common stressors among nursing students; to describe the difference in stress level related to demographic data; and to identify coping mechanisms used by nursing students.METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out to determine the type of stress and coping strategies among nursing students. The level of stress was evaluated through Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and type of coping strategies were assessed by use of Coping Behaviours Inventory (CBI).RESULTS: Students perceived moderate level of stress, most commonly attributed to assignments and workload, teachers and nursing staff, peers and daily life, and taking care of patients. The most frequently used coping mechanism was problem solving. The study found that age, GPA, education level and residence are good predictors of the use of transference as a coping behaviour.CONCLUSION: A moderate level of stress among students illustrates the need for stress management programs and the provision of suitable support.