Psychological capital and academic stress in nursing students at a Peruvian university during the COVID-19 pandemic

Araoz E.G.E. · Gaceta Medica de Caracas (2022) · DOI: 10.47307/gmc.2022.130.4.8

Resumen

Introduction: From 2020 to the present, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused drastic changes in people’s mental health. In this sense, it highlights the importance of knowing and reflecting on the psychological resources used to face situations that may affect university students’ psychological well-being and quality of life since they are determining factors for the realization of their academic objectives. O bjective: Determine the relationship between psychological capital and academic stress in nursing students at a Peruvian public university during the COVID-19 pandemic. M ethods: The research approach was quantitative; the design was non-experimental, and the scope was descriptive - cross-sectional correlational. The sample consisted of 182 students to whom the Psychological Capital Questionnaire and the SISCO Inventory of Academic Stress were applied, instruments with adequate levels of validity based on content and reliability. Subsequently, the data were processed using SPSS V.22 software. Results: It was found that the students were characterized by presenting moderate levels of psychological capital and academic stress. Likewise, it was determined that Spearman’s Rho correlation coefficient between both variables was -0.614 with a p-value below the significance level (p<0.05). Conclusion: There is an inverse but significant relationship between psychological capital and academic stress in Nursing students. Therefore, it is necessary to design programs to strengthen psychological capital and develop psychoeducational strategies that reduce the prevalence of academic stress in students.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Amazónica de Madre de Dios