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Multicenter Study
. 2025 Apr 9;25(1):506.
doi: 10.1186/s12909-025-07080-3.

Self-compassion, academic stress, and academic self-efficacy among undergraduate nursing students: a cross-sectional, multi-center study

Amir Mohamad Nazari  1 , Fariba Borhani  2 , Abbas Abbaszadeh  3 , Mohamad Amir Kakaee Kangarbani  3
Affiliations
Multicenter Study

Self-compassion, academic stress, and academic self-efficacy among undergraduate nursing students: a cross-sectional, multi-center study

Amir Mohamad Nazari et al. BMC Med Educ. .

Abstract

Background: According to the literature, academic stress, academic self-efficacy, and self-compassion are the most effective variables that affect nursing students' psychological health and learning engagement. This study aimed to examine the relationship between self-compassion, academic stress, and academic self-efficacy among undergraduate nursing students.

Methods: We conducted this descriptive cross-sectional study in 2024 using convenience sampling to recruit nursing students. The study involved 200 nursing students from three Iranian universities of medical sciences. Data for the study were collected using demographic questionnaires, Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF), and Academic Self-Efficacy and Stress Scale.

Results: The mean score of academic stress, academic self-efficacy, and self-compassion was 78.39 ± 47.27, 180.99 ± 53.43, and 42.29 ± 8.58, respectively. There was a significant relationship between self-compassion and academic stress (r=-0.42, P < 0.001), self-compassion and academic self-efficacy (r = 0.57, P < 0.001), and academic self-efficacy and academic stress (r=-0.45, P < 0.001). Self-compassion was significantly associated with academic stress and academic self-efficacy of nursing students, such that with one unit increase in self-compassion score, the likelihood of having a low level of academic stress and having a high level of academic self-efficacy increased by 10% and 13%, respectively.

Conclusion: The outcomes of this study magnify the significance of implementing interventions that focus on enhancing self-compassion and academic self-efficacy among these students. This approach would effectively reduce perceived stress and its associated outcomes, ultimately leading to enhanced student experiences.

Clinical trial number: Not applicable.

Keywords: Academic Self-Efficacy; Perceived Academic Stress; Self-Compassion; Undergraduate Nursing Students.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This study was conducted in accordance with the ethical considerations of the Helsinki declaration and approved by the Medical Ethics and Law Research Center of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences (IR.SBMU.RETECH.REC.1403.286). Participants were informed of the study’s purpose, and their privacy and confidentiality were assured. It was explained to them that the study was voluntary, and they could leave at any time. Their consent was obtained before they participated in the study. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

References

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