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 consisting of 135 undergraduate international nursing students. Four tools were used for data collection. They were a 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 reduce acculturative stress among undergraduate international nursing students.