Nursing Students’ Perception of Academic Stress before and during de COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Introduction: Academic stressors have negative effects on the health and academic development of higher education students.

Objective: To identify the most prevalent academic stressors before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and their relationship with socio-academic factors.

Methods: A longitudinal correlational study was carried out. The census sample in 2019 was 166; and, in 2021, 156 nursing students from an Andean public university (Huaraz, Peru). The instrument was the Academic Stress Inventory. Statistical analyzes included comparison of means, Pearson correlation and Spearman's rho.

Results: The following were academic stressors before vs. during the COVID-19 pandemic: academic overload (3.94 vs. 3.51), lack of time (3.75 vs. 3.14), mandatory assignments (3.12 vs. 2.98). These were correlated, before the pandemic, with greater number of courses and dissatisfaction with academic performance; and, during the pandemic, with female sex and dissatisfaction with the economic situation. The women perceived four or seven academic stressors and the male perceived two or one, before or during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively.

Conclusions: The academic stressors in students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic were academic overload, lack of time to complete academic activities, and completing mandatory work to pass the subjects. The women presented more academic stressors than the male before and during the pandemic. Academic stressors were correlated with academic factors before the pandemic and with social factors during the pandemic.