Perceived Social Support and Mental Well-being among Higher Vocational Nursing Students in Eastern China: A Single-Centre Cross-sectional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31674/mjn.2026.v18i02.014Abstract
Background: Nursing students may experience substantial academic and clinical demands, which may negatively affect their mental health. Previous studies have suggested that perceived social support (PSS) is associated with higher levels of Mental Well-Being (MWB) among nursing students. Understanding this association may inform the development of strategies to support nursing students’ MWB. Objectives: This study aimed to examine PSS and MWB levels among Chinese nursing students and the association between these two variables. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 612 nursing students at a higher vocational college in Eastern China in March 2025. Data were collected using the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF) and the Perceived Social Support Scale (PSSS). Results: The mean scores of PSS and MWB were 47.98±10.69 and 43.97±14.19, respectively. PSS was positively correlated with MWB (r = 0.347, p < 0.001). Simple linear regression analysis revealed a significant association between PSS and MWB (B = 0.461, 95% CI [0.362, 0.560], p < 0.001). After adjusting for demographic and health-related factors, PSS remained significantly positively associated with MWB (β = 0.317, p < 0.001), with the addition of PSS increasing the explained variance by 9.8%. Conclusion: PSS was independently associated with better MWB among Chinese nursing students. Longitudinal or experimental studies are needed to determine whether strengthening social support can improve mental well-being.
Keywords:
Mental Health, Nursing, Social Support, StudentsDownloads
References
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