TO STUDY THE IMPACT OF MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR REDUCING STRESS AMONG NURSING STUDENTS

Background: Stress and burnout are increasingly recognized as major concerns among nursing students due to intense academic demands, clinical responsibilities, and emotional exposure in healthcare settings. Prolonged stress without adequate coping mechanisms can negatively affect students’ mental health, academic performance, and professional competence. Aim: To assess the prevalence of stress and burnout among nursing students and to evaluate the effectiveness of a Mental Health Education Program in reducing these psychological issues.

Methodology: A quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control group design was adopted for the study. Sixty undergraduate nursing students from a selected nursing college were selected using purposive sampling and divided equally into an experimental group (n=30) and a control group (n=30). The experimental group received a structured Mental Health Education Program focusing on stress management, resilience building, mindfulness, coping strategies, and self-care, while the control group did not receive any intervention. Data were collected using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) before and after the intervention.

Result: The findings revealed that nursing students experienced moderate to high levels of stress and burnout prior to the intervention. Post-test results showed a significant reduction in stress and burnout levels in the experimental group, whereas no significant change was observed in the control group. Statistical analysis using paired and unpaired t-tests confirmed that the Mental Health Education Program was effective in reducing stress and burnout among nursing students.

Conclusion: The study concludes that incorporating mental health education into nursing curricula can play a vital role in enhancing students psychological well-being, resilience, and academic success.