Psychological Self-care and Support Expectations among First-Year Nursing Students
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Abstract
The transition from high school to a nursing program is a critical period during which first-year nursing students often encounter significant stress and pressure. Psychological self-care therefore becomes an essential factor in fostering emotional stability and supporting professional learning in nursing.
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to (1) examine the levels of psychological self-care and expectations for support among first-year nursing students, (2) investigate internal and external factors affecting psychological self-care, (3) investigate the relationship between psychological self-care behaviors and expectations for support, and (4) gather recommendations for designing psychological self-care promotion activities for first-year nursing students.
Materials and methods: This study employed a concurrent mixed-methods design. The sample consisted of 150 first-year nursing students enrolled in the 2024 academic year, recruited through voluntary participation. The research instruments included two questionnaires on psychological self-care and support expectations (reliability coefficients of .75 and .90, respectively). Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson’s correlation, while qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. Data collection was conducted online between June and August 2025.
Results: The students had a high level of psychological self-care (M = 4.05, SD = 0.82) and demonstrated the highest expectations for support from their families (M = 4.57, SD = 0.71). External factors promoting self-care included family (88%) and peers (77.3%), while the primary internal factor was emotional self-regulation (87.3%). Psychological self-care behaviors were positively correlated with expectations for support from faculty and staff, peers, family, and the institution (p < .01). Qualitative findings highlighted the need for activities that foster social relationships and support, creative and self-development programs, wellness and relaxation activities, and accessible online counseling services.
Conclusion: The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the behaviors and factors influencing psychological self-care among first-year nursing students. These insights can inform the development of tailored programs and policies that effectively support mental well-being within higher education settings.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
เรื่องที่ลงตีพิมพ์ในวารสารจิตวิทยาคลินิกแล้วถือเป็นลิขสิทธิ์การเผยแพร่โดยวารสารจิตวิทยาคลินิกแต่เพียงผู้เดียว การตีพิมพ์หรือเผยแพร่ซ้ำในที่อื่นต้องได้รับอนุญาตจากกองบรรณาธิการวารสารฯ
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