Biomaterial Database

Psychological well-being of Thai nursing students. 2011

Paul Ratanasiripong, and Chia-Chih D C Wang

Department of Advanced Studies in Education and Counseling, California State University-Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach, CA 90840, USA. pratanas@csulb.edu

BACKGROUND The psychological well-being of nursing students is a very important component in the training and development of future nurses. While previous studies have explored different aspects of nursing students' mental and psychological health in various countries, they have given little attention to comparing nursing students with their non-nursing student peers. The present study investigated the differences between nursing students and non-nursing students in Thailand with regard to their psychological well-being. The gender effect was also examined. METHODS Four hundred students were included in this study (200 nursing students and 200 non-nursing students). Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and four psychological instruments that examined their self-esteem, life satisfaction, depression, and social difficulties. RESULTS Overall, compared to their non-nursing counterparts, nursing students were found to score significantly higher on self-esteem and life satisfaction and reported lower levels of depression and social difficulties. Gender was also found to have a significant main effect on participants' social difficulties. Several recommendations for improving the mental health and psychological well-being of nursing students are discussed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007398	Interpersonal Relations	The reciprocal interaction of two or more persons.	Social Relationships,Husband-Wife Communication,Partner Communication,Communication, Husband-Wife,Communication, Partner,Husband Wife Communication,Husband-Wife Communications,Interpersonal Relation,Partner Communications,Relation, Interpersonal,Relationship, Social,Social Relationship
D008297	Male		Males
D008603	Mental Health	Emotional, psychological, and social well-being of an individual or group.	Mental Hygiene,Health, Mental,Hygiene, Mental
D010379	Peer Group	Group composed of associates of same species, approximately the same age, and usually of similar rank or social status.	Group, Peer,Groups, Peer,Peer Groups
D010549	Personal Satisfaction	The individual's experience of a sense of fulfillment of a need or want and the quality or state of being satisfied.	Life Satisfaction,Satisfaction,Life Satisfactions,Satisfaction, Life,Satisfaction, Personal,Satisfactions, Life
D011594	Psychometrics	Assessment of psychological variables by the application of mathematical procedures.	Psychometric
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D003863	Depression	Depressive states usually of moderate intensity in contrast with MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER present in neurotic and psychotic disorders.	Depressive Symptoms,Emotional Depression,Depression, Emotional,Depressive Symptom,Symptom, Depressive
D005260	Female		Females
D006304	Health Status	The level of health of the individual, group, or population as subjectively assessed by the individual or by more objective measures.	General Health,General Health Level,General Health Status,Level of Health,Overall Health,Overall Health Status,General Health Levels,Health Level,Health Level, General,Health Levels,Health Status, General,Health Status, Overall,Health, General,Health, Overall,Level, General Health,Levels, General Health,Status, General Health,Status, Health,Status, Overall Health