Determining the Effect of Peer Mentoring Programme Applied to Nursing Students on Perceived Stress and Adaptation to University Life: A Quasi - Experimental Study

Year 2025, Issue: 57, 23 - 30, 02.06.2025

Mehmet Korkmaz , Suzan Tek Ayaz

Abstract

Beginning university is an important change for most young people, but it can limit relationships with family and friends. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a peer mentoring programme on the perceived stress and adaptation to university life of nursing students studying at a newly established nursing education institution. This study used a 'pre-test and post-test non control group' design, one of the quasi-experimental research methods. Data were collected using the Introductory Information Form, the Perceived Stress Level Scale and the Adaptation to University Life Scale. Parametric tests were employed in data analysis. Descriptive characteristics of the participants were presented as frequency, percentage, and mean. For normally distributed data, the independent samples t-test was used to analyze two-group comparisons, and the One-Way ANOVA test was used for comparisons involving more than two groups. The mean age of the nursing students who underwent peer mentoring was 19.6 years, 64% of the students were female, 60.8% were first year students (mentees) and more than a third (33.6%) had no information about peer mentoring. The outcomes obtained in this study reveal the effectiveness of the peer mentoring programme. Implementation of the peer mentoring programme decreased the perceived stress level of nursing students and increased their adaptation to university life.

Keywords

Nursing education, adaptation to university life, peer mentoring programme, perceived stress university life, perceived stress

Ethical Statement

Ethics committee approval was obtained from Yozgat Bozok University Social and Humanitarian Ethics Committee (Tarih: 19.10.2022, Sayı: E-37/28)

Hemşirelik Öğrencilerine Uygulanan Akran Yönderliği Programının Algılanan Stres ve Üniversite Yaşamına Uyuma Etkisinin Belirlenmesi: Hemşirelik Eğitimine Yeni Başlayan Kurum Örneği, Yarı Deneysel Çalışma

Abstract

Üniversiteye başlamak çoğu genç için önemli bir değişimdir, ancak aile ve arkadaşlarla ilişkileri sınırlayabilir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, yeni kurulan bir hemşirelik eğitim kurumunda öğrenim gören hemşirelik öğrencilerinin algıladıkları stres ve üniversite yaşamına uyumları üzerinde bir akran mentorluğu programının etkisini belirlemektir. Bu çalışmada yarı deneysel araştırma yöntemlerinden biri olan 'ön test-son test kontrol grupsuz' desen kullanılmıştır. Veriler Tanıtıcı Bilgi Formu, Algılanan Stres Düzeyi Ölçeği ve Üniversite Yaşamına Uyum Ölçeği kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Veri analizinde parametrik testler kullanılmıştır. Katılımcıların tanımlayıcı özellikleri frekans, yüzde ve ortalama olarak sunulmuştur. Normal dağılım gösteren veriler için iki gruplu karşılaştırmalarda bağımsız örneklemler için t-testi, ikiden fazla grup içeren karşılaştırmalarda ise One-Way ANOVA testi kullanılmıştır. Akran mentorluğu uygulanan hemşirelik öğrencilerinin yaş ortalaması 19.6, %64'ü kadın, %60.8'i birinci sınıf öğrencisi (mentee) ve üçte birinden fazlası (%33.6) akran mentorluğu hakkında bilgi sahibi değildi. Bu çalışmada elde edilen sonuçlar, akran mentorluğu programının etkinliğini ortaya koymaktadır. Akran mentorluğu programının uygulanması hemşirelik öğrencilerinin algıladıkları stres düzeyini azaltmış ve üniversite yaşamına uyumlarını artırmıştır.

Keywords

Hemşirelik eğitimi, algılanan stres, üniversite yaşamına uyum, akran yönderliği programı

References

• Al Yahyaei, A., Natarajan, J. R., Seshan, V., Joseph, M. A., Valsaraj, B. P., & Hamed Al Abri, F. (2024). The usefulness of peer tutoring and its impact on nursing students’ academic performance, psychological empowerment, and satisfaction: Pre-post design. SAGE Open Nursing, 10, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1177/23779608241282168
• Amer, M. G., Althaqafi, R. M., Assiri, S. A., Alsufyani, A., Alrubaei, F. S., & Mohamed, N. M. (2021). Peer-assisted learning: Undergraduate medical students’ perception and satisfaction. Millenium-Journal of Education, Technologies, and Health, 16, 11–22. https://doi.org/10.29352/mill0216.23989
• Aslan, S. (2015). Development of adjustment to university life scale. Hacettepe University - Journal of Education, 30(4), 132–145.
• Aslan, H., & Erci, B. (2021). The impact of peer support provided to first-year nursing students on clinical stress and psychomotor nursing skills. International Journal of Caring Sciences, 14(1), 68.
• Bahari, G. (2024). Key Factors Supporting Nursing Students’ Academic Success and Recommendations to Enhance Learning Outcomes. Nurse Educator, https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001776
• Brewster, L., Jones, E., Priestley, M., Wilbraham, S. J., Spanner, L., & Hughes, G. (2022). “Look after the staff and they would look after the students”: Cultures of wellbeing and mental health in the university setting. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 46(4), 548–560. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2021.2017847
• Cohen, S., Kamarck, T., & Mermelstein, R. (1983). A global measure of perceived stress. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 24(4), 385-396. https://doi.org/10.2307/2136404
• Crisp, D. A., Rickwood, D., Martin, B., & Byrom, N. (2020). Implementing a peer support program for improving university student wellbeing: The experience of program facilitators. Australian Journal of Education, 64(2), 113–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004944120914691 Cuesta-Martínez, R., González-Sanz, P., Raventós-Torner, R. D., Jiménez-Herrera, M., Aguarón-García, M. J., Lorenzo-Allegue, L., & Font-Jimenez, I. (2024). Experiences of nursing students in a peer mentoring program during their clinical practices: A qualitative study. Nurse Education Today, 139, 106234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2023.106234
• Dogan, N. (2021). Peer supports and problem-solving skills of nursing and midwifery students. Journal of Higher Education and Science, 11(1), 150–161.
• Eskin, M., Harlak, H., Demirkıran, F., & Dereboy, C. (2013). The adaptation of the perceived stress scale into Turkish: A reliability and validity analysis. New Symposium Journal, 51(3), 132–140.
• Horgan, A., McCarthy, G., & Sweeney, J. (2013). An evaluation of an online peer support forum for university students with depressive symptoms. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing, 27(2), 84–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apnu.2012.12.005
• Jacobsen, T. I., Sandsleth, M. G., & Gonzalez, M. T. (2022). Student nurses’ experiences participating in a peer mentoring program in clinical placement studies: A metasynthesis. Nurse Education in Practice, 61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2022.103349
• Kachaturoff, M., Caboral-Stevens, M., Gee, V., & Lan, M. (2020). Effects of peer mentoring on stress and anxiety levels of undergraduate nursing students: An integrative review. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(4), 223–228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.profnurs.2020.01.005
• Kim, S. C., Jillapali, R., & Boyd, S. (2021). Impacts of peer tutoring on academic performance of first-year baccalaureate nursing students: A quasi-experimental study. Nurse Education Today, 96, 104658. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104658
• Kiye, S., Yoncalık, O., & Nazlı, S. (2020). The role of peer counselors in the adjustment process of undergraduate first year students to university life. Kastamonu Education Journal, 28(6), 2346-2361. https://doi.org/10.24106/kefdergi.689350
• Konakcı, G., Uran, B. N. O., & Uran, H. A. (2021). Investigation of variables affecting nursing students’ adaptation to university life. Journal of Higher Education, 11(2), 321–330.
• Le, H. G., Sok, S., & Heng, K. (2024). The benefits of peer mentoring in higher education: Findings from a systematic review. Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, 31, 1-29.
• Lillekroken, D., Kvalvaag, H. M., Lindeflaten, K., Flølo, T. N., Krogstad, K., & Hessevaagbakke, E. (2024). Educating the nurses of tomorrow: Exploring first-year nursing students’ reflections on a one-week senior peer-mentor supervised inspiration practice in nursing homes. BMC Nursing, 23(1), 132. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-024-01252-3
• Mikkonen, K., Tomietto, M., Cicolini, G., Kaucic, B. M., Filej, B., Riklikiene, O., ... & Kääriäinen, M. (2020). Development and testing of an evidence-based model of mentoring nursing students in clinical practice. Nurse Education Today, 85, 104272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2019.104272
• Otu, M. S. (2024). Effect of purpose-based career coaching on career decision-making. Current Psychology, 43, 25568–25594. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-03853-1
• Pointon-Haas, J., Waqar, L., Upsher, R., Foster, J., Byrom, N., & Oates, J. (2024). A systematic review of peer support interventions for student mental health and well-being in higher education. BJPsych Open, 10(1), e12. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2023.574
• Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2014). Essentials of nursing research: Appraising evidence for nursing practice (8th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
• Seshabela, H., Havenga, Y., & de Swardt, H. C. (2020). Nursing student peer mentorship: The importance of professional relationships. Africa Journal of Nursing and Midwifery, 22(1), 17.
• Sonmez, A., & Gurbuz, B. (2022). Analysis of the relationship between leisure satisfaction and adjustment to university life on university students. Journal of Computer and Education Research, 10(20), 481–502.
• Sune, E. L. (2023). The effect of peer support on students' sense of belonging and extroverted personality [Doctoral dissertation, Erasmus University Rotterdam]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global. 10.13140/RG.2.2.23407.44967.
• Thorley, C. (2017). Not by degrees: Improving student health in the UK’s universities. IPPR.
• Williams, M., Coare, P., Marvell, R., Pollard, E., Houghton, A.-M., & Anderson, J. (2015). Understanding provision for students with mental health problems and intensive support needs: Report to HEFCE by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) and Researching Equity, Access and Partnership (REAP). Institute for Employment Studies.
• Venegas-Muggli, J. I., Barrientos, C., & Álvarez, F. (2023). The impact of peer mentoring on the academic success of underrepresented college students. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 25(3), 554–571.
• Zhou, M., Liu, X., & Guo, J. (2023). The mediating effect of self-efficacy between teacher emotional support and interaction engagement in EFL learning. Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1080/01434632.2023.2267033