A cross-sectional study of resilience and well-being among nursing students in Saudi Arabia

Objectives: Promoting resilience and embracing healthy coping strategies can effectively assist nursing students in managing stress and enhancing their welfare. Nonetheless, a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing their well-being and resilience, pivotal for both academic accomplishments and future career longevity, remains incomplete. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive correlational design was adopted for this study. Participants comprised students enrolled in pre-registration nursing programs at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index and the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale were utilized to assess psychological well-being and resilience, respectively. Results: The study involved 175 university nursing students selected through convenience sampling. On the 10-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the average score was 25.5, with undergraduate and graduate students scoring an average of 25.4 and 26.3, respectively. Nevertheless, the two groups had no statistically significant difference (p = 0.526). Regarding perceived well-being, the average World Health Organization-5 score was 16.1, with no noticeable distinction between undergraduates and postgraduates (p = 0.858). Notably, bivariate analysis revealed a moderate positive correlation between self-reported resilience and perceived well-being (rp = 0.281, p = 0.001). Moreover, senior students exhibited significantly higher scores on the perceived well-being scale than junior students (17.0 vs 15.1, p = 0.010). Multivariable regression analysis also identified that self-reported resilience represents a consistent means of predicting perceived well-being (regression coefficient B = 0.22, p < 0.001). Conclusions: The outcomes indicate that university-based nursing students who exhibit higher levels of resilience have more positive perceptions of their well-being. Moreover, postgraduate students exhibit more significant resilience levels than undergraduate students.