The influence of emotional intelligence, sociodemographic and academic factors on mental health of nursing students in the Fez-Meknes region of Morocco.

BACKGROUND

Mental health has become a topic of concern for the world and more specifically for young students. Our research aims to specify the impact of emotional intelligence, sociodemographic, and academic factors on students' mental health in high institutes of nursing professions and health techniques in the Fez-Meknes region of Morocco.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

This is an analytical cross-sectional study carried out with students in high institutes of nursing professions and health techniques in the Fes-Meknes region of Morocco. It ran from February to July 2022. To collect the data, the study was based on the questionnaire method. we opted for a census of the entire population, which includes 1332 students; we received 881 responses, which gives a response rate of 66.1%, but only 600 complete questionnaires were considered. A simple logistic regression based on the calculation of univariate odds ratios was used to perform a bivariate analysis for each dependent variable. Multiple logistic regression based on the calculation of multivariate odds ratios was applied to obtain the multivariate model.

RESULTS

Prevalence of generalized anxiety, major depression, and flourishing mental health were 24.8%, 39.3%, and 40% respectively. The average emotional intelligence score is 84.70 ± 19.83. Multivariate logistic regression discovers that the risk factors for generalized anxiety and major depression were rare social activity and decreased satisfaction with the academic environment, while the absence of chronic illness and shocking experiences in life also moderate use of social media were protector factors for anxiety and depression. Semester of study, habitat, satisfaction of academic environment, and history of mental illness in the family are significant predictors of positive mental health of nursing students. Emotional intelligence has a negative impact on generalized anxiety and major depression and a positive impact on positive mental health.

CONCLUSION

These results confirm that the mental health of nursing students is influenced by their emotional intelligence and by certain socio-demographic and academic factors. Thus, it's strongly recommended that nursing institutes act on these factors and include emotional education in their professional training curriculum to ensure the high mental well-being of the students.