Effects of Emotional Regulation, Resilience, and Distress Disclosure on Post-Traumatic Growth in Nursing Students

Abstract

Nursing students, who need to reflect on self, secure their identity, and be prepared as would-be nurses, can make a good use of post-traumatic growth (PTG) that can function as a catalyst for positive change even amidst this COVID-19 crisis. Emotional regulation strategies in traumatic events are key factors for successful growth, resilience is positively associated with PTG, and distress disclosure is an important factor for stress reduction. In this context, this study is a descriptive research study to identify factors influencing the PTG of nursing students, using emotional regulation, resilience, and distress disclosure as the main variables. Data were collected from 231 junior and senior students of the nursing departments of two universities, and the collected data were analyzed using the t-test, the Mann–Whitney U test, ANOVA, the Scheffé test, Pearson’s correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression in SPSS/WIN 26.0. Analysis of the PTG scores of the nursing students by general characteristics revealed significant differences in PTG according to the transfer status, perceived health status, and levels of satisfaction with major, hybrid-learning class, interpersonal relationship satisfaction, and clinical practice. Factors influencing PTG were identified to be resilience, reappraisal among emotional regulation strategies, satisfaction with clinical practice, and transfer, with the overall explanatory power calculated at 44%. Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to consider resilience and reappraisal, which is a sub-variable of emotional regulation strategies, in order to develop programs designed to promote PTG of nursing students in the future.

An Explanatory Model of Work-family Conflict and Resilience as Predictors of Job Satisfaction in Nurses: The Mediating Role of Work Engagement and Communication Skills

“…91 Resilience positively influences communication skills, previous studies show that this ability is the most effective way to cope in the face of an external threat. 49,92,93 Therefore, it is necessary for organizations to adopt strategies to increase the capacity to develop resilience in staff to cultivate communication skills. 49 Given that, resilience acts as a buffer against job stress.…”

“…49,92,93 Therefore, it is necessary for organizations to adopt strategies to increase the capacity to develop resilience in staff to cultivate communication skills. 49 Given that, resilience acts as a buffer against job stress. 94 Nurses with greater resilience have strong communication skills, as they are able to express themselves in the face of various stressful events and seek support from colleagues, friends, or family members, helping to maintain greater mental health.…”

“…48 Resilience has a positive effect on work engagement and communication skills. [49][50][51] People become stronger, safer, and more productive when they overcome, through resilience, adverse events. 52 Furthermore, the indirect effect of resilience on satisfaction through resilience has been demonstrated.…”

Beyond the shadows of trauma: exploring the synergy of emotional intelligence and distress disclosure in Nigerian adolescents’ trauma journey

“…Globally, studies of adolescent DD have yielded mixed results. Some suggest that disclosing trauma can span the spectrum of traumatic symptoms and lead to benefits such as emotional relief, social support, improved coping strategies, and increased resilience (Keum et al, 2023;Kim et al, 2023). However, others highlight that some adolescents regret disclosing abuse, sometimes facing negative repercussions (Jacques-Tiura et al, 2010;Sousa et al, 2023).…”

Rising Strong: The Interplay between Resilience, Social Support, and Post-Traumatic Growth among Teachers after the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Resilience is a psychological resource that refers to positive adaptation and functioning in the face of a crisis [15,16]. Studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic found that teachers' resilience was positively related to their emotional state and functioning [11,17], and that resilience is a significant positive predictor of teacher well-being [18].…”