Do academic advising and levels of support affect nursing students' mental health? A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Aim: The current study aimed to identify the association between social support, academic advising and mental health disorders among nursing students. Background: Stress and workload can trigger multiple mental health disorders, especially for nursing students. Thus, academic advising and counselling help support students with academic and mental health problems. Design: This cross-sectional study utilized online questionnaires in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Methods: Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4) and the Student Academic Advising and Counseling Survey (SAACS) were utilized to measure social support, depression and anxiety and evaluation of academic advising and counselling services, respectively. Results: The study included 1134 nursing students (mean age of 20.3 years). Students with higher academic advising satisfaction were 37% less likely to experience depression (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.46–0.85) and mental disorders (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.50–0.94). Moderate family social support was associated with lower depression (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.37–0.93) and mental disorders (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.33–0.92). Conclusion: Academic advising and social support can mitigate mental health disorders among nursing students. These findings will help nurses and post-secondary providers develop strategies to support nursing students during difficult times.