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Article

Mental Health and Resilience in Nursing Students: A Longitudinal Study

by
William Donegá Martinez
1,*,
Tiago Casaleiro
2,
João Daniel de Souza Menezes
1,
Matheus Querino da Silva
1,
Emerson Roberto dos Santos
1,
Rauer Ferreira Franco
3,
Alex Bertolazzo Quiterio
1,
Thales Guardia de Barros
1,
Ana Julia de Deus Silva
1,
Luiz Otávio Maciel Lopes
4,
Sônia Maria Maciel Lopes
1,
Natalia Almeida de Arnaldo Silva Rodriguez Castro
1,
Camila Aline Lázaro
5,
Maria Laura Fabris
1,
Josimerci Ittavo Lamana Faria
6,
Fernando Nestor Facio Júnior
1,
Maria Helena Pinto
6,
Daniele Alcalá Pompeo
6,
Denise Cristina Móz Vaz Oliani
6,7,
Antônio Hélio Oliani
6,7,
Neuza Alves Bonifácio
8,9,
Loiane Letícia dos Santos
1,
Marco Antonio Ribeiro Filho
1,
Gerardo Maria de Araújo Filho
6,
Nádia Antônia Aparecida Poletti
6,
Luís Cesar Fava Spessoto
6,
Natália Sperli Geraldes Marin dos Santos Sasaki
6,
Aparecida de Fátima Michelin
8,
Sabrina Ramires Sakamoto
10,
Maysa Alahmar Bianchin
1,
Vânia Maria Sabadoto Brienze
1,
Alba Regina de Abreu Lima
1,
Rita de Cássia Helú Mendonça Ribeiro
6 and
Júlio César André
1add Show full author list remove Hide full author list
1
Center for Studies and Development of Health Education—CEDES, São José do Rio Preto Medical School—FAMERP, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, Brazil
2
Grupo Autónoma - Escola Superior de Enfermagem São Francisco das Misericórdias, Green Park Campus, 1600-300 Lisbon, Portugal
3
University Brasil—UB, Fernandópolis 15613-899, Brazil
4
Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Votuporanga, Votuporanga 15500-003, Brazil
5
University União das Faculdades dos Grandes Lagos—UNILAGO, São José do Rio Preto 15070-110, Brazil
6
Faculty São José do Rio Preto Medical School—FAMERP, São José do Rio Preto 15090-000, Brazil
7
University Hospital Center Cova da Beira, University of Beira Interior, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal
8
Campus Araçatuba, University Paulista—UNIP, Araçatuba 16018-555, Brazil
9
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Araçatuba 16050-680, Brazil
10
Penápolis School of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters, Penápolis Educational Foundation, Penápolis 16300-000, Brazil
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(5), 735; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22050735
Submission received: 30 March 2025 / Revised: 27 April 2025 / Accepted: 28 April 2025 / Published: 6 May 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mental Health and Health Promotion in Young People)
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Abstract

Mental health challenges are increasingly prevalent among young individuals, particularly within high-stress academic environments such as nursing education. Resilience is critical for maintaining well-being and adapting to university demands. Objective: To assess resilience levels in first-year nursing students at FAMERP (Faculty of Medicine of São José do Rio Preto) upon entry in 2021 and their longitudinal evolution in 2022 and 2023, using the Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale. The study also aims to explore the implications for mental health promotion in young healthcare professionals. Methods: A descriptive, longitudinal, prospective, and quantitative study was conducted with 40 students. Data collection was performed via electronic forms and analyzed using descriptive statistics and specific tests within the R programming language. Results: The predominantly female sample, with a mean age of 19.5 years, exhibited moderate to high resilience levels: mean scores of 132.5 (2021), 135.8 (2022), and 139.2 (2023). A significant reduction in the Perseverance factor (p = 0.0131) was noted. There was a positive correlation between age and resilience scores (r = 0.42; p < 0.01). Discussion: Despite a slight overall increase in resilience, the decline in Perseverance is concerning, indicating potential growing mental health challenges as students progress. Small age differences significantly influence mental health outcomes. This decline may be related to increased academic stress, exposure to emotionally challenging clinical situations, and the cumulative effects of the “costs of caring”. Conclusions: Nursing students exhibit promising resilience levels, yet there is a critical need for interventions targeting Perseverance to enhance academic performance and patient care quality. Social Impact: This study contributes to the development of educational strategies designed to promote resilience, thereby potentially improving the mental health and academic performance of nursing students. By focusing on mental well-being, a more resilient healthcare workforce can be cultivated and better prepared to meet systemic challenges.
Keywords: psychological resilience; nursing students; mental health; nursing education; psychological adaptation; young adults; health promotion psychological resilience; nursing students; mental health; nursing education; psychological adaptation; young adults; health promotion

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MDPI and ACS Style

Martinez, W.D.; Casaleiro, T.; Menezes, J.D.d.S.; da Silva, M.Q.; Santos, E.R.d.; Franco, R.F.; Quiterio, A.B.; de Barros, T.G.; Silva, A.J.d.D.; Lopes, L.O.M.; et al. Mental Health and Resilience in Nursing Students: A Longitudinal Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22, 735. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22050735

AMA Style

Martinez WD, Casaleiro T, Menezes JDdS, da Silva MQ, Santos ERd, Franco RF, Quiterio AB, de Barros TG, Silva AJdD, Lopes LOM, et al. Mental Health and Resilience in Nursing Students: A Longitudinal Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2025; 22(5):735. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22050735

Chicago/Turabian Style

Martinez, William Donegá, Tiago Casaleiro, João Daniel de Souza Menezes, Matheus Querino da Silva, Emerson Roberto dos Santos, Rauer Ferreira Franco, Alex Bertolazzo Quiterio, Thales Guardia de Barros, Ana Julia de Deus Silva, Luiz Otávio Maciel Lopes, and et al. 2025. "Mental Health and Resilience in Nursing Students: A Longitudinal Study" International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 22, no. 5: 735. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22050735

APA Style

Martinez, W. D., Casaleiro, T., Menezes, J. D. d. S., da Silva, M. Q., Santos, E. R. d., Franco, R. F., Quiterio, A. B., de Barros, T. G., Silva, A. J. d. D., Lopes, L. O. M., Lopes, S. M. M., Castro, N. A. d. A. S. R., Lázaro, C. A., Fabris, M. L., Faria, J. I. L., Júnior, F. N. F., Pinto, M. H., Pompeo, D. A., Oliani, D. C. M. V., ... André, J. C. (2025). Mental Health and Resilience in Nursing Students: A Longitudinal Study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 22(5), 735. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22050735

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