Predictive Model of the Psychological Well-Being of Nursing Students During the COVID-19 Lockdown.

INTRODUCTION

Lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic radically changed nursing education. Along with social isolation, the transition to distance education affected the well-being of students in several countries, particularly Portugal and Spain.

OBJECTIVES

To identify which variables are predictors of psychological well-being for Portuguese and Spanish nursing students during mandatory lockdowns.

METHODS

A multicenter, cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study involving a sample of 1075 students (944 women, mean age 22.46 + /-4.95 years). Data were collected from an online questionnaire which applied the following scales: Perceived Stress Scale (α = .820); Brief COPE-14 Subscales (α = .430 < 0.930); Well-being Manifestations Measure Scale (α = .940); Herth Hope Index (α = .850). A multiple regression model was created to predict the psychological well-being of nursing students.

RESULTS

The following predictor variables were identified in the model of the psychological well-being of students during the COVID-19 pandemic: perceived stress ( = .405;  ≤ .001); hope ( = .404;  ≤ .001); and the mechanisms of active coping ( = .405;  ≤ .001), planning ( = .097;  ≤ .001), and positive reinterpretation ( = .053;   =  .12). These five variables predicted 62.0% of the nursing students' psychological well-being (  = .620; F  =  350.82;  ≤ .001).

CONCLUSION

Promoting students' mental health is essential, especially in periods of great adversity, such as a pandemic. Our results lead the way for the design and validation of an intervention program that addresses the five variables identified as predictors of students' psychological well-being.