Coping Strategies as Predictors of Learning-Related Stress among Nursing Diploma Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Nursing students face academic demands that may affect their mental health and academic achievement. Although coping strategies can help manage stress, evidence on how different types of coping relate to learning-related stress remains inconsistent. This study examined coping strategies as predictors of learning-related stress among nursing students. A quantitative cross-sectional design was used, involving 71 students selected through total sampling. Data were collected using the Brief COPE questionnaire and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and analyzed with multiple linear regression at a significance level of 0.05. Less useful coping strategies significantly predicted learning-related stress (p = 0.003). Among the coping categories examined, less useful coping emerged as a predictor of stress among nursing diploma students, whereas problem-focused and emotion-focused coping did not show the same effect. Educational interventions and student mentoring should therefore support adaptive coping and help reduce maladaptive coping.