Anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university during the COVID-19 pandemic
Background: Despite the continued expand of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nursing students are returning to on-campus learning and training in clinical settings. The COVID-19 pandemic might constitute a new source of anxiety that increases the already high anxiety levels of nursi...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-01-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022000226 |
| _version_ | 1828129398280159232 |
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| author | Dina Masha'al Ghada Shahrour Mohammed Aldalaykeh |
| author_facet | Dina Masha'al Ghada Shahrour Mohammed Aldalaykeh |
| author_sort | Dina Masha'al |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Despite the continued expand of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nursing students are returning to on-campus learning and training in clinical settings. The COVID-19 pandemic might constitute a new source of anxiety that increases the already high anxiety levels of nursing students. This study aimed to assess the COVID-19 infection-related anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university campuses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 282 nursing students who returned to campus during the summer semester of the academic year 2019/2020. The returning students were invited to complete an online questionnaire consisting of three parts: 1) sociodemographic variables and infection-related information, 2) the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) Scale, and 3) the Brief-Coping Behavior Questionnaire (Brief-COPE). Results: Of the participating students, 70.6% reported mild to severe anxiety levels. Female students and students who had fears of becoming infected with COVID-19 were found to be at higher risk of anxiety than were other students. A positive correlation was found between students’ anxiety levels and their dysfunctional coping strategies, which included denial, behavioral disengagement, venting, and self-blame. Students who had chosen to study nursing willingly used coping planning. Further, other sociodemographic variables and infection-related information were associated with dysfunctional and emotion-focused coping strategies. Conclusions: The participating nursing students showed significant COVID-19-related anxiety upon returning to on-campus learning. Unfortunately, the students were found to use some dysfunctional coping strategies which were associated with increased levels of anxiety. The results highlight the important role of universities and nursing faculty members in supporting students emotionally and ensuring their personal safety inside the classroom and in clinical settings. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T16:19:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0873060018664ee984bceedfde026042 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T16:19:26Z |
| publishDate | 2022-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-0873060018664ee984bceedfde0260422022-12-22T04:14:25ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402022-01-0181e08734Anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university during the COVID-19 pandemicDina Masha'al0Ghada Shahrour1Mohammed Aldalaykeh2Adult Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing/WHO Collaborating Center, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O.Box 3030, Irbid, 22110, Jordan; Corresponding author.Community and Mental Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing/ WHO Collaborating Center, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O.Box 3030, Irbid, 22110, JordanCommunity and Mental Health Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing/ WHO Collaborating Center, Jordan University of Science and Technology, P.O.Box 3030, Irbid, 22110, JordanBackground: Despite the continued expand of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nursing students are returning to on-campus learning and training in clinical settings. The COVID-19 pandemic might constitute a new source of anxiety that increases the already high anxiety levels of nursing students. This study aimed to assess the COVID-19 infection-related anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university campuses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 282 nursing students who returned to campus during the summer semester of the academic year 2019/2020. The returning students were invited to complete an online questionnaire consisting of three parts: 1) sociodemographic variables and infection-related information, 2) the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) Scale, and 3) the Brief-Coping Behavior Questionnaire (Brief-COPE). Results: Of the participating students, 70.6% reported mild to severe anxiety levels. Female students and students who had fears of becoming infected with COVID-19 were found to be at higher risk of anxiety than were other students. A positive correlation was found between students’ anxiety levels and their dysfunctional coping strategies, which included denial, behavioral disengagement, venting, and self-blame. Students who had chosen to study nursing willingly used coping planning. Further, other sociodemographic variables and infection-related information were associated with dysfunctional and emotion-focused coping strategies. Conclusions: The participating nursing students showed significant COVID-19-related anxiety upon returning to on-campus learning. Unfortunately, the students were found to use some dysfunctional coping strategies which were associated with increased levels of anxiety. The results highlight the important role of universities and nursing faculty members in supporting students emotionally and ensuring their personal safety inside the classroom and in clinical settings.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022000226AnxietyCopingPsychological wellbeingNursingNursing studentsCOVID-19 |
| spellingShingle | Dina Masha'al Ghada Shahrour Mohammed Aldalaykeh Anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university during the COVID-19 pandemic Heliyon Anxiety Coping Psychological wellbeing Nursing Nursing students COVID-19 |
| title | Anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full | Anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_fullStr | Anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_short | Anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university during the COVID-19 pandemic |
| title_sort | anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university during the covid 19 pandemic |
| topic | Anxiety Coping Psychological wellbeing Nursing Nursing students COVID-19 |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022000226 |
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