Analysis of Mental Health Literacy and Coping Mechanisms Based on Big Five Personality Traits in Nursing Students

Abstract

Background: Mental health problems that occur in nursing students are still a concern in education. The reason is that nursing students have higher academic stressors than other majors. The situation makes nursing students more vulnerable to mental health problems. Based on research, many mental health problems experienced by students are depression, self-harm, and even suicide attempts. Those problems are influenced by several factors, including students' coping ability with stressors. Students' coping ability is closely related to literacy about mental health and personality type.

Purpose: The study aimed to analyze the correlation between coping style, mental health literacy, and personality traits in nursing students.

Methods: This study used a quantitative analytic design with data analysis using correlation test analysis. The study involved nursing students in semesters 2-8, totaling 120 people.

Results: The study showed that most mental health literacy was in the moderate (60%) and high (30%) categories. Most coping mechanisms students activate are problem-focused coping mechanisms, which amounted to 58.3%. The most common personality type is neuroticism, which is 30.8%. When analyzed with a correlation test, there was no association between mental health literacy and student coping (p=0.08) and no association between mental health literacy and personality (p=0.07).

Conclusion: This indicates that coping mechanisms and personality styles do not contribute to mental health literacy in university students