Acculturative Stress, Assertiveness, and Self Efficacy among Undergraduate International Nursing Students

Abstract

Context: Acculturative stress is an essential challenge of international students in a new culture. This challenge may impact their academic success, psychological wellbeing, and the educational institution's effectiveness in retaining these students.

Aim: To examine the relationship between acculturative stress, self-efficacy, and assertiveness among international undergraduate nursing students.

Methods: The study was conducted at the Faculty of Nursing, Cairo University. The correlational research design was used on a simple random sample consists of 135 undergraduate international nursing students. Four tools were used for data collection. They were personal data sheet, acculturative stress assessment scale, Rathus assertiveness schedule, and general self-efficacy assessment scale.

Results: 47.00% of undergraduate international nursing students had a mild level of acculturative stress, 34.8% of undergraduate international nursing students were somewhat non-assertive, about half of undergraduate international nursing students had a moderate level of self-efficacy. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between self-efficacy and assertiveness. Also, there was a statistically significant negative correlation between acculturative stress and assertiveness. There was no statistically significant correlation between self-efficacy and acculturative stress.

Conclusions: Undergraduate international nursing students were inclined towards experiencing acculturative stress, and near half of them exhibit a mild level. More than one-third of them were somewhat assertive, with near half of them had a high level of self-efficacy. The development of educational programs is needed to maximize assertiveness skills, self-efficacy, and reducing acculturative stress among undergraduate international nursing students.