Open Access Research Article

A Comparative Analysis of Self-Reported Psychological Wellbeing of Undergraduate Nursing and Non-Nursing Students in Jamaica

Paul Andrew Bourne1*, Danielle Lee2, Shanice Powell2, Tallia Douglas2, Roxania Lambert2 and Clifton Foster3

1Department of Acting Director of Institutional Research, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica

2Department of Nursing, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica

3Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences, Northern Caribbean University, Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica

Corresponding Author

Received Date: Apri 28, 2021;  Published Date: May 17, 2021

Abstract

Introduction: Psychological well-being refers to the inter-and intra-individual levels of positive functioning that can include one’s relatedness with others and self-referent attitudes that include one’s sense of mastery and personal growth. It reflects dimensions that affect judgments of life satisfaction and contentment. The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the lives of humans and included in this shift in health is one’s psychological wellbeing. A review of the literature revealed no current study on the psychological well-being of undergraduate students in Jamaica.

Objective: This study seeks to 1) compare the psychological well-being of nursing and non-nursing students and 2) identify how the school has affected them psychologically.

Methods and Materials: A correlational research design was used for this research using a sample of 500 respondents who attend a tertiary educational institution in Jamaica between November 2 and December 18, 2020. A standardized questionnaire adapted from the Rand Cooperation SF 36 wellness index was used to gather data.

Results: Of the sampled respondents (n=500), 67% indicated at least good psychological well-being, with most of them having good health status (31.2%, n=156). 40.4% of the respondents indicated having at least a better psychological well-being than last year, with most of them responding that they have a somewhat better psychological well-being (24.2%, n=121). Seventy-seven percent (77%, n=173) of the nursing students indicated that they have a good psychological well-being compared to 58.95% (n=162) of non-nursing students (χ2(4) =18.682, P=0.001).

Conclusion: The finding provides some insights into the resilience of nursing students and supports future research on the cognitive domain of these students.

Keywords: Non-nursing student; nursing student; psychological well-being; undergraduate; well-being; Jamaica

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