The Relationship between Psychological Well-Being and Psychosocial Factors in University Students

Ontological coaching among nursing undergraduates: a pilot randomized controlled (OCEAN) trial

To develop and assess the preliminary effectiveness of Ontological Coaching Intervention for nursing undergraduates. Design: A pilot randomized controlled trial with a two-group pre-test and post-test followed by process-evaluation qualitative interviews. An Ontological Coaching Intervention was developed through an integration of prior literature and the collective the research team's experience, consisting of 4-6 sessions over 6-months, each lasting 30-60 minutes. Sessions encompassed exploring ontological coaching concepts, empowering nursing undergraduates to choose topics, and tailoring sessions to individual needs. Sixty undergraduates were recruited; ten were excluded for not completing the baseline questionnaires. Twenty-one nursing undergraduates were randomly assigned to the intervention group and twenty-nine undergraduates to the control group (standard academic support only). Primary (psychological well-being) and secondary (social support quantity and satisfaction, goal-setting, resilience) outcomes were measured at baseline, 3-months, and 6-months. Semi-structured interviews captured post-intervention experiences. Between-group analyses revealed a significant difference in goal-setting scores at 3-months (U = 325.5, p = 0.013), favoring the intervention group (median = 70.50, IQR = 64.25, 76.75). At 6-months, a significant difference in social support satisfaction scores (U = 114.5, p = 0.028) was found between the intervention (median = 33.00, IQR = 29.50, 35.25) and control (median = 30.00, IQR = 30.00, 35.00) groups. However, no significant between-group differences were noted in other outcome measures. Significant within-group differences were found in goal-setting scores at 3- and 6-months in the intervention group and social support quantity scores at 3- and 6-months in the control group. However, no significant within-group differences were noted in other outcome measures. Three themes were identified: Enhanced Holistic Development, Keys to Successful Coaching, and Future Directions for Successful Coaching. There is urgent need to advance research on Ontological Coaching Intervention, particularly, enhancing study rigor, broadening examinations to diverse healthcare student populations and cultural contexts, and addressing identified limitations.

The effect of laughter therapy on self-efficacy and psychological well-being in nursing students

BACKGROUND

Academic self-efficacy and psychological well-being play a crucial role in the mental health of nursing students and influence whether they decide to remain in the nursing profession.

AIMS

This study aimed to determine the effect of laughter therapy on self-efficacy and psychological well-being in nursing students.

METHODS

In this randomized controlled study, 208 nursing students were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 102) and a control (n = 106) group. The experimental group received laughter therapy face-to-face once a week for eight weeks. No intervention was applied to the control group. In both groups, data were collected at the beginning of the study and the end of the eighth week using a Sociodemographic Questionnaire Form, the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Psychological Well-Being Scale.

RESULTS

In the post-study group comparisons, there was a statistically significant difference in the scores for the total Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, the external emotion management and collegiality subscales, and the total Psychological Well-Being Scale (p > 0.05). With regard to all the scale scores, no statistically significant difference was found in the groups in the pre- and post-comparisons (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

It was determined that laughter therapy increased the mean psychological well-being score in the experimental group. It was also found that after the laughter therapy, distraction and loss of interest in lectures decreased, stress and anxiety levels decreased, eating and sleeping habits were regulated, and social media use decreased. Laughter therapy can be used to increase self-efficacy and psychological well-being.

Effectiveness of a Mindfulness-Based Intervention Program to Improve Communication and Stress Coping Skills in University Students

Investigating the contribution of mindfulness training to psychological well-being and quality of life in the university setting is of interest. The objective of the study is to present a comparative analysis of the scores in the variables of self-efficacy, resilience, coping strategies, and communication skills before and after the application of an intervention program based on mindfulness. An ex post facto cross-sectional design and a convenience sample of participants were adopted. The participants were students belonging to Education Sciences who benefited from the activities of the program. Instruments were administered to assess mindfulness, self-efficacy, resilience, coping strategies, and communication skills. The correlations of the mindfulness variable with the other psychoeducational variables evaluated were also analyzed. The results indicate an increase in the scores in the selected variables of mindfulness, resilience, communication skills, and some of the coping strategies considered productive or functional such as problem solving, self-criticism, emotional expression, desiderative thinking, social support, and cognitive restructuring. Statistically significant correlations were also observed between the variable mindfulness and those of perceived self-efficacy, resilience, coping strategies, and communication skills. The development of mindfulness training programs in the university setting is necessary to contribute to the improvement of more adaptive coping skills and the promotion of resilience.

Psychological wellbeing in Chinese university students: insights into the influences of academic self-concept, teacher support, and student engagement

Objective

This study investigates the complex interplay between academic self-concept, teacher support, student engagement, and psychological wellbeing among Chinese university students. We aimed to elucidate the mediating role of student engagement in these relationships.

Methods

A sample of 597 Chinese undergraduate students from diverse universities participated in the study. We employed structured questionnaires to assess academic self-concept, teacher support, student engagement, and psychological wellbeing. Confirmatory factor analyses and structural equation modeling were used to test our hypothesized model.

Results

Structural equation modeling indicated that the partial mediation model, which considered both direct and indirect effects, outperformed full mediation and direct effect models. Student engagement significantly mediated the relationships between academic self-concept, teacher support, and psychological wellbeing. Importantly, teacher support demonstrated a direct impact on psychological wellbeing, even when accounting for the mediating role of student engagement.

Conclusion

This study underscores the pivotal role of student engagement as a mediator in the relationship between academic self-concept, teacher support, and psychological wellbeing among Chinese university students. While student engagement plays a substantial mediating role, our findings also recognize the persistent direct influence of teacher support on psychological wellbeing. These insights have implications for educators and policymakers aiming to enhance the wellbeing of university students by fostering positive academic self-concept and teacher support while recognizing the importance of student engagement.

Fasting diets: what are the impacts on eating behaviors, sleep, mood, and well-being?

Fasting diets (FDs) have drawn great attention concerning their contribution to health and disease over the last decade. Despite considerable interest in FDs, the effect of fasting diets on eating behaviors, sleep, and mood-essential components of diet satisfaction and mental health- has not been addressed comprehensively. Understanding the critical role that fasting plays in these elements will open up potential treatment avenues that have not yet been explored. The aim of the present paper was to conduct a comprehensive critical review exploring the effects of fasting on eating behaviors, sleep, and mood. There is currently a lack of clarity regarding which fasting option yields the most advantageous effects, and there is also a scarcity of consistent trials that assess the effects of FDs in a comparable manner. Similarly, the effects and/or treatment options for utilizing FDs to modify eating and sleep behaviors and enhance mood are still poorly understood. Further researches aiming at understanding the impacts of various fasting regimes, providing new insights into the gut-brain axis and offering new treatment avenues for those with resistant anxiety and depression, are warranted. Alteration of eating behaviors can have lasting effects on various physiological parameters. The use of fasting cures can underpin ancient knowledge with scientific evidence to form a new approach to the prevention and treatment of problems associated with co-morbidities or challenges pertaining to eating behaviors. Therefore, a thorough examination of the various fasting regimens and how they impact disease patterns is also warranted.

Relationship Between Social Anxiety and Self-esteem Among Undergraduate Nursing Students

Social anxiety disorder is the third most common disorder in the general population. Social phobia has a significant impact on nursing colleagues' self-esteem. The purpose of the current study was to assess social anxiety and its relation to self-esteem among nursing students. The study was a cross-sectional study. Data were collected from 231 nursing students through a convenience sampling method. The instruments of the study included "Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN)" and the "Rosenberg self-esteem scale." The results indicated that the social anxiety mean was 15.1 ± 11.1 (ranging from 0 to 68) and the self-esteem was 19.9 ± 4.5 (ranging from 0 to 30). The current study indicates that female and social anxiety are predictors of self-esteem among nursing students. Also, the present study concludes that lower social anxiety is associated significantly with higher self-esteem among Palestinian undergraduate nursing students (r = -.35, P < .001). The study concludes that there are inverse correlation between social anxiety and self-esteem among Palestinian undergraduate nursing students. Even though most students showed modest levels of social anxiety and normal self-esteem.

Psychological Well-Being of Nurses with One to Five Years of Clinical Experience

Introduction

Nurses are required to fulfill many roles, including expertise, communication, and leadership and are psychologically vulnerable due to lack of manpower, emotional labor, and shift work. Among them, it is necessary to understand the psychological well-being of new nurses and junior nurses who have a high early resignation rate.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate psychological well-being of nurses and compare psychological well-being of nurses from the first to the fifth years of clinical experience.

Methods

Cross-sectional comparative design and purposive sampling method were used. Data were collected from 148 nurses with one to five years of experience working in tertiary care general hospitals. On November 11, 2021, an online link for the structured questionnaire was sent to the group social networking service accounts for nurses. Psychological well-being was assessed using a Korean version of the Scales of Psychological Well-being including autonomy, environmental mastery, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance.

Results

The average psychological well-being of nurses was 194.11, with significant differences depending on years of clinical experience (p = .006, F = 3.82) and satisfaction with nursing (p < .001, F = 13.12). It was lowest at 180.08 in the first year, gradually improving, but falling again from the fourth year. Among five subfactors except positive relations with others (p = .389), psychological well-being was related to clinical experiences years using satisfaction with nursing and religion as covariates.

Conclusions

This study that compared psychological well-being from the first to the fifth year according to clinical experience revealed the need for optimized intervention for each year. Nursing managers can improve the psychological well-being of nurses through active and appropriate intervention according to the passage of nursing experience.

Mindfulness to improve the mental health of university students. A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objectives

This systematic review and meta-analysis was to analyze the effects of a mindfulness program on mental health in university students.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted using the databases Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science and CINAHL. The selected studies had to incorporate a mindfulness intervention in university students. The methodological quality of the collected articles was evaluated using the PEDro scale.

Results

We initially identified 321 studies, of which 21 were included in this review. The interventions focused on mindfulness with durations ranging from 8 weeks to 3 months. The results demonstrated significant effects of a mindfulness intervention on mental health in university students.

Conclusion

This systematic review and meta-analysis found that mindfulness is effective for improving the mental health of college students.

Systematic Review Registration

identifier: CRD42023441453.

Thriving psychological well-being in undergraduate nursing student: a grounded theory study with the life grid approach

BACKGROUND

Psychological well-being (PWB) plays a vital role in successful adaptation to the Bachelor of Nursing journey and affects career development. However, there is little known about the functional and social processes associated with enhancing well-being specific to the subjective perspective of nursing students.

AIM

To investigate how nursing students promote their psychological well-being to conceptualize thriving psychological well-being.

METHOD

This qualitative study analyzed and reviewed a life grid and semi-structured in-depth interviews of 20 Chinese Nursing graduates by investigators and participants, following Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory. The constant comparative method was used to analyze data. This study took place between 2020 and 2022.

RESULTS

All participants experienced fluctuations in psychological well-being. This study identified a new understanding of how nursing students enhance their psychological well-being. Thriving awareness was co-constructed as the core category and based on the relationship with a supportive environment, the thriving psychological well-being of nursing students is conceptualized.

CONCLUSIONS

It is imperative to enhance the psychological counseling and support for nursing students during their clinical placements, during the period just entering university as well as after repeated outbreaks of COVID-19. Nursing educators and administrators could develop appropriate educational programs and interventions based on the theoretical model-Thriving psychological well-being.

Personality and Family Risk Factors for Poor Mental Well-Being

There is evidence that differentiation of self (DoS) contributes to the regulation of emotions at a young age, resulting in reduced anxiety and improved mental well-being. However, there is little evidence of the relationships between these four dimensions (DoS, self-regulation, anxiety, and mental well-being), or of the potential mediating role of self-regulation and anxiety. Our primary goal was therefore to consider the links between DoS, self-regulation, anxiety, and mental well-being. It was hypothesized that DoS (emotional reactivity, I-position, emotional cutoff, fusion with others) will be positively associated with mental well-being through the mediation of self-regulation (promotion-focused, prevention-focused) and anxiety. The study included 460 participants with a mean age of 41.18 (SD = 14.97, range = 19-60). Of them, 224 (48.7%) were women. Participants filled out four questionnaires: the Differentiation of Self Inventory-Revised, General Regulatory Focus Measure, the anxiety scale from DASS-21, and the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale. The findings showed that emotional cutoff positively predicted prevention and anxiety, but did not predict promotion. In addition, promotion positively predicted mental well-being. Finally, promotion mediated the relationship between I-position and mental well-being. The results indicate that well-differentiated individuals function optimally and enjoy good quality of life.

The effects of the education received by nursing students on their self-esteem and emotional intelligence: A 4-year longitudinal study

PURPOSE

This study was conducted to determine the effects of 4-year nursing education on self-esteem and emotional intelligence levels of nursing students.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This descriptive longitudinal study was conducted with 73 nursing students between 2014 and 2018 at a foundation university in Istanbul.

FINDINGS

The nursing students' self-esteem and emotional intelligence levels increased at the end of the 4-year nursing education. Nursing students' self-esteem scores measured in the 2nd and 4th years, their emotional intelligence scores measured in the 3rd, 1st years, and 4th years were statistically significantly higher.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

In the light of these results, in addition to the routine educational content, it is recommended that the courses related to self-esteem and emotional intelligence be added to the curriculum or trainings should be organized.

Learning Stress, Involvement, Academic Concerns, and Mental Health among University Students during a Pandemic: Influence of Fear and Moderation of Self-Efficacy

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on the mental health and well-being of students. An effective method that can enable students to cope with difficult times is to help them realize their inner potential. Following the stimulus-organism-response model, this study developed a theoretical framework that deepens our understanding of an environmental stimulus (fear of COVID-19) that is experienced by students; struggle within the organism (learning stress, learning involvement, and academic concerns); and the psychological response (psychological well-being). The findings clarified how the fear of COVID-19 affects the psychological well-being of university students and revealed the moderate role of academic self-efficacy in this process. Some systematic practical advice was provided to higher education institutions to develop effective interventions to protect the mental health of college students and establish strategies to promote their inner potential.

Cultural stress, daily well-being, and internalizing and externalizing symptoms among Hispanic college students

The present study was designed to examine the extent to which, in a sample of 873 Hispanic college students, daily levels of, and variability in, well-being would mediate the predictive effects of culturally related stressors (discrimination, negative context of reception, and bicultural stress) on internalizing and externalizing symptoms 11 days later. A 12-day daily diary design was utilized, where reports of cultural stressors were gathered on Day 1, daily well-being reports were gathered on Days 2-11, and outcomes were measured on Day 12 (with controls for Day 1 levels of these same outcomes). Structural equation modeling results indicated that daily means of, and variability in, well-being significantly mediated the predictive effect of Day 1 ethnic/racial discrimination, negative context of reception, and bicultural stress on Day 12 symptoms of anxiety and depression. No effects emerged for externalizing symptoms. When we decomposed the latent well-being variability construct into its component indicators (self-esteem, life satisfaction, psychological well-being/self-acceptance, and eudaimonic well-being), daily variability in life satisfaction and self-acceptance appeared to be primarily responsible for the mediated predictive effects we observed. These results are discussed in terms of implications for further research, for counseling practice, and for the development of more inclusive university practices and policies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Predicting nursing students' psychological well-being: network analysis based on a model of thriving through relationships

BACKGROUND

Psychological well-being plays a vital role in nursing students' mental health and affects their decisions to stay in the nursing profession, particularly during the COVID-19 outbreak. Close relationships are undeniably linked to psychological well-being, but it is unknown how the specific pathways through which close relationships are related to each other and which are most strongly linked to nursing students' psychological well-being.

AIMS

To explore the network structure, central and bridge factors among well-being characteristics, and predictors based on a model of thriving through relationships.

METHODS

A cross-sectional research design was used with a sample of undergraduate nursing students (531 participants from the Southwest part of China). We used a network model to analyze the network structure of perceived social support, mindfulness, self-integrity, self-compassion, professional self-concept, savoring, intentional self-regulation, non-relational self-expansion, relational self-expansion, attachment insecurity, and psychological well-being.

RESULTS

 A highly interconnected network of psychological well-being featured predictors and traits were formed. Node 8 (self-kindness), node 9 (self-judgment), and node 23 (non-relational self-expansion) were the predictors with the highest centrality in the network. Perceived social support and professional self-concept were most central in linking predictors to psychological well-being traits. Attachment insecurity was a non-supportive factor for predicting psychological well-being among female nursing students.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions based on these supportive/non-supportive predictors, which operate on different psychological levels, hold promise to achieve positive effects on psychological well-being among nursing students.

Perceived Social Support Promotes Nursing Students' Psychological Wellbeing: Explained With Self-Compassion and Professional Self-Concept

Background

The psychological distress of nursing students is ongoing and getting worse during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Numerous calls for future research on exploring the effects of perceived social support would be an effective way to improve nursing students' mental health. However, the pathway(s) between perceived social support and psychological wellbeing (PWB) remain unknown.

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore how self-compassion and professional self-concept mediate the relationship between perceived social support and PWB to explain the theoretical mechanisms of the relationship.

Design

This study is the analytical cross-sectional research based on online self-reports and completed validated measures of perceived social support, PWB, self-compassion, and professional self-concept.

Methods

The Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to estimate the mediation effects on the relationship between perceived social support and PWB. To examine the directionality of effects, this study also tested the reverse serial mediation model. Multigroup SEM was used to test gender differences in the mediation model.

Results

The results of an empirical study involving 487 undergraduate nursing students verified an integrative model of social support. In addition, no gender difference was found in these associations. These findings suggest that self-compassion and professional self-concept accounted for the association between perceived social support and PWB, and self-compassion was a significant predictor of professional self-concept.

Conclusion

There is a pathway of self-compassion and professional self-concept through which perceived social support may improve PWB. Also, improving nursing students' perceived social support, self-compassion and professional self-concept are beneficial for promoting their mental health. It is meaningful for nursing educators to take measures to develop nursing students' PWB and enhance their professional self-concept.

A novel, interactive game to improve understanding of respiratory control pathways in first-year medical students

The physiology of respiration is a challenging subject for many medical students. To assist students, we have developed an active learning game that physically places students within a model outlining the respiratory control pathway. Participants were provided with a vodcast describing the physiology of respiratory control and instructed to view this before the activity. Once in the classroom, groups of students sat at tables marked to represent components of the respiratory control pathway (e.g., apneustic center, diaphragm etc.). Tables were connected with green and red ropes indicating excitatory or inhibitory effects, respectively. Students were presented with various scenarios (e.g., diabetic ketoacidosis) and asked to predict and illustrate the scenario's effect on subsequent steps in the respiratory pathway by waving the appropriate connecting rope. The next table would continue the pattern to simulate the collective physiological adaptation of the respiratory pathway. Thirty first-year medical students participated in this study. Following the activity, 25 out of the 30 participants completed an optional survey. The survey aimed to assess the benefits of adding this activity to our first-year medical curriculum to build a foundational understanding of the physiology of respiration. Responses were overwhelmingly favorable, and participants reported that playing the game significantly improved their perceived understanding of the physiology of respiratory control. All but one of the participants recommended using the activity in future classes. Because the small size of the study group may limit generalizability, future larger scale studies are planned.

Mental Health and Healthy Habits in University Students: A Comparative Associative Study

There is evidence of increased psychopathology in university students and its relationship with unhealthy lifestyle habits. The objective of this work is to examine the prevalence and differences in psychopathological symptoms and lifestyle in a sample of university students according to educational levels and area of knowledge. A comparative associative study was conducted with 1405 university students. The results indicated significant differences in psychopathology and habits in the different groups. The prevalence of psychopathology found was high, especially depressive and anxious pathologies. This incidence tends to be higher in undergraduates and/or Arts and Humanities, coinciding with those who tend to have poorer lifestyle habits. The promising contributions from this study facilitate the early detection of university students with a risk profile for the appearance or exacerbation of psychopathology, as well as the design of psychological intervention programs aimed at the psychological well-being of this population.

Effectiveness of a Program to Improve Attention towards Affective-Sexual, Bodily and Gender Diversity in University Students

It is necessary for the university environment to contribute to the improvement of the attention paid to affective-sexual, bodily, and gender diversity. This research deals with how, by means of a teaching innovation program, competences for affective-sexual diversity were developed. Specifically, negative attitudes towards diversity, knowledge, and degree of empathy on these issues before and after the implementation of the program are compared. The degree of satisfaction, perceived usefulness, and fulfillment of the objectives proposed in the program were also evaluated. An ex post facto design was used. The participants in this study were 129 students belonging to Educational Sciences and Psychology, out of 2400 who benefited from the innovation program. The results showed an increase in competences related to the attention to diversity, with the improvement of attitudes and knowledge about affective-sexual diversity after the application of the program. It is concluded that this type of innovation program, with quality training, contributes to the improvement of coexistence and the prevention of gender violence in university classrooms, eliminating stereotypes and negative attitudes towards diversity.

The Effect of Changes in Physical Self-Concept through Participation in Exercise on Changes in Self-Esteem and Mental Well-Being

The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of the changes in physical self-concept induced by exercise participation on the changes in global self-esteem and mental well-being using a structural model analysis. A total of 189 university students in Seoul, Korea, participated in the present study for two waves. The participants responded through a survey measuring physical self-concept, self-esteem, and mental well-being before and after a six-week exercise course. Regression analysis was used to calculate the amount of change in each variable, and the calculated residual scores were used for correlation analysis and structural model analysis. The amounts of changes in the variables are significantly correlated with each other and there was a complementary mediating effect of the changes in self-esteem on the pathway from the changes in physical self-concept to the changes in mental well-being. Physical self-concept changed by exercise participation might directly and positively influence mental well-being, and it can indirectly influence the changes in mental well-being via the improvement of self-esteem.

Thriving during COVID-19: Predictors of psychological well-being and ways of coping

COVID-19 has led to global dramatic shifts in daily life. Following the biopsychosocial model of health, the goal of the current study was to predict people's psychological well-being (PWB) during the initial lockdown phase of the pandemic and to investigate which coping strategies were most common among people with low and high PWB. Participants were 938 volunteers in the United States who responded to an online survey during the lockdown in April 2020. The main findings were that all three groups of variables, biological, psychological, and socio-economic, significantly contributed to PWB explaining 53% variance. Social loneliness and sense of agency were the strongest predictors. PWB was significantly predicted by physical health (not gender nor age); by spirituality, emotional loneliness, social loneliness, and sense of agency; by job security (not income, nor neighborhood safety, nor hours spent on social media). Comparing the coping strategies of participants, results show more intentional coping in the high-PWB group and more passive coping in the low-PWB group. During this unprecedented pandemic, the findings highlight that ability to sustainably cope with the global shifts in daily life depends on actively and intentionally attending to PWB by being one's own agent for physical health, spiritual health, and social connection.

Special Issue on Mental Health and Well-Being in Adolescence: Environment and Behavior

Psychological problems in children and adolescent populations range from 10% to 20% [...].

Study of Psychosocial and Academic Indicators in Young Adults from Andalucía, Spain

BACKGROUND

The university years bring a great deal of vital changes. In addition, psycho-social factors play a key role in university students' development and their consumption of harmful substances. The aim is to analyse academic performance according to psychosocial factors, self-concept, emotional intelligence and harmful substance consumption in a sample of future Physical Education teachers.

METHODS

The present study was carried out with a sample of 775 undergraduate students who were studying for the Primary Education Degree in Physical Education in Andalusia, Spain. The main instruments used include an ad hoc questionnaire, the Self-Concept Form-5 test, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence and the Emotional Intelligence Inventory adapted to Sport.

RESULTS

The results show that young people who have a greater general self-concept and self-emotional management are those who access the university degree through Vocational Training. In relation to the average record mark, it was observed that participants with marks of notable and outstanding obtained higher scores in general self-concept, academic dimension and hetero-emotional management. Those with grades of passed and outstanding were those with higher levels in the physical dimension of self-concept and emotional use. In relation to receiving a scholarship to study, it has been shown that those university students who do perceive it have higher levels in most of the dimensions of emotional intelligence and self-concept.

CONCLUSIONS

Finally, the harmful substances did not show significant relationships with academic factors, except between tobacco and the average mark of the file.