Spiritual nursing education, spiritual well-being and mental health in nursing students

Abstract

Objectives: To examine spiritual nursing education, spiritual well-being and mental health of college students majoring in nursing and determine the association between spiritual nursing education, spiritual health and mental health. Methods/Statistical Analysis: 194 nursing majors at a college were selected, regardless of grade, by convenience sampling. The sample size was estimated to be 110 or more by a G power 3.1 programs at the significance level of .05, with the effect size of .3 and testability of .95. Of 250 questionnaires returned, a total of 194 copies were analyzed, with the exception of those containing incomplete responses. Findings: As for spiritual well-being by the general characteristics, the students with a religion scored higher in spiritual well-being than those with no religion (t = 8.940, ρ = .000) and the students considering themselves to be healthy scored higher in spiritual well-being than those considering their health status to be at the average level, showing statistically significant differences (F = 4.599, ρ = .033). Female students scored higher in mental health than male ones, showing significant differences (t = -2.078, ρ = .039). The students with a religion scored higher in mental health than those with no religion, showing significant differences (t = 2.239, ρ = .026). The students considering themselves to be healthy scored lower in mental health than those considering their health status to be at the average level or lower, showing significant differences (F = 25.436, ρ = .000). The students satisfied with family life scored lower in mental health than those dissatisfied it (t = -2.681, ρ = .008) and the students satisfied with campus life scored lower in mental health than those dissatisfied it (t = -2.082, ρ = .039). There was statistically insignificant correlation between spiritual well-being and mental health of the respondents. Improvements/Applications: It is required to study spiritual well-being tools for the sub-areas of the areas of life satisfaction/self-realization, faith/belief and life/responsibility.