The influence of personality traits and social support on male nursing student life stress: a cross-sectional research design.

Jiunn Horng Lou*, Sheng Hwang Chen, Hsing Yi Yu, Ren Hau Li, Cheng I. Yang, Cheng Joo Eng

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal Article peer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Understanding how male nursing students alleviate life stress during their academic career is conducive to their development as successful nursing professionals. PURPOSE: This study was designed to understand the personality traits, social support, and life stresses of male nursing students. The respective influences of personality traits and social support on life stress were also explored. METHODS: The study used a cross-sectional research design. A college in central Taiwan was targeted as the site for data collection. A total of 158 questionnaires were dispatched, with 145 valid copies returned (valid response rate = 91.7%). Structured questionnaires were designed to collect data on participant demographics, personality traits, social support, and life stress. Statistical methods such as descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple regression analysis were applied to data analysis. RESULTS: Major findings of this study revealed that (a) in general, the personality traits, social support, and life stress of male nursing students scored in the medium to high range. Participants reported encountering more stress from learning and life goals than from interpersonal stress. (b) Male nursing student demographic variables (e.g., parent [father and mother considered separately] education level) and the personality traits of conscientiousness and family support, respectively, were found to impact significantly on participant life stress perceptions. And (c) the only significant predictors of life stress were support from family and education level of participant fathers and mothers, accounting for about 23.7% of variability. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: It is suggested that nursing students in each year of their academic career should be exposed to courses geared to reduce the life stress perceptions (especially in the areas of learning and career development) of male nursing students. Increased family support is an effective way to decrease male nursing student life stress. This study could be a reference for the design and application of strategies to reduce the perceived life stress of male nursing students.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)108-116
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Nursing Research
Volume18
Issue number2
StatePublished - 06 2010
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'The influence of personality traits and social support on male nursing student life stress: a cross-sectional research design.'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this