Nursing students’ attitudes toward intimate partner violence and its relationship with self-esteem and self-efficacy

Abstract

Understanding nursing students’ attitudes toward Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is pivotal because it may impact the care and support, they provide victims. This study aimed to explore nursing students’ attitudes toward intimate partner violence and its relationship with self-esteem and self-efficacy. A cross-sectional descriptive research design was used in the current study in the faculty of nursing at Mansoura University, Egypt. A total of 1322 nursing students participated in the study. Data were collected from April to June 2023 by using various tools: sociodemographic interviews and academic data profiles, the Intimate Partner Violence Attitude Scale (IPVAS)—Revised, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) (Arabic version), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale. Results: The findings show the distribution of the Intimate Partner Violence Attitude Scale (IPVAS), with 78.7% of nursing students disapproving of the abuse domain, 72.6% (approving of the violence domain) and 34.2% approving of the control domain. 65.8% had a moderate level of self-esteem, and 62.8% had a low level of self-efficacy. The study concluded that self-esteem and self-efficacy are significant in shaping attitudes toward intimate partner violence; higher levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy are associated with lower approval for intimate partner violence. Further research is needed to explore the factors that contribute to attitudes and levels of self-esteem and self-efficacy among nursing students. It would also be useful to study how education and training affect these attitudes.