THE ROLE OF COPING STRATEGIES IN PREDICTING PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING AMONG NURSING STUDENTS

  • Endang Caturini Sulistyowati Department of Nursing, Health Polytechnic of the Ministry of Health, Surakarta
  • Siti Khadijah Department of Nursing, Health Polytechnic of the Ministry of Health, Surakarta
  • Dwi Ariani Sulistyowati Department of Nursing, Health Polytechnic of the Ministry of Health, Surakarta

Keywords

Coping, Psychological Well-Being, Nursing Students

Abstract

Nursing students face complex academic and clinical demands, including academic pressure, exposure to critically ill patients, and professional competency requirements, which may negatively affect their psychological well-being. Adaptive coping strategies are considered important resources for maintaining psychological well-being; however, studies examining coping as a predictor of psychological well-being among nursing students remain limited. Objective: To investigate the predictive role of coping strategies on psychological well-being among nursing students while controlling for age, gender, and academic year. Methods: A quantitative study with a cross-sectional predictive correlational design was conducted among 241 nursing students selected through proportional random sampling from a population of 608 undergraduate nursing students. Data were collected using coping strategy and psychological well-being questionnaires. Hierarchical linear regression was employed to examine the predictive role of coping, controlling for age, gender, and academic year. Results: The control model, including age, gender, and academic year, was not a significant predictor of psychological well-being (R² = 0.020; p = 0.182). After coping was added, the explained variance increased significantly to R² = 0.139 (ΔR² = 0.118; ΔF = 32.398; p < 0.001). Coping emerged as a significant positive predictor of psychological well-being (β = 0.346; p < 0.001). Gender also contributed significantly (β = 0.170; p = 0.007), whereas age and academic year were not significant predictors. Conclusion: Adaptive coping significantly predicts psychological well-being among nursing students. Strengthening coping skills can be an effective strategy for promoting and maintaining students’ psychological well-being.

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2026-06-13