Factors Influencing Male Nursing Students' Adaptation to College Life in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Male nursing students face challenges in the nursing profession because of its female-centered nature. In particular, most male students in South Korea must complete military service while in college. Although these kinds of situations may make it difficult for them to adapt to college life, the number of male nursing students is gradually increasing. Therefore, it is important to identify the influencing factors to promote male nursing students' successful adaptation to college life. PURPOSE: This study was developed to investigate the relationship between self-efficacy, social support, stress coping, and adaptation to college life among male nursing students in Korea. Factors that influence their adaptation to college life were also analyzed. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 217 male nursing students from seven colleges in Korea. Participants completed a questionnaire that was designed to measure self-efficacy, social support, stress coping, and adaptation to college life. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t test, one-way analysis of variance, Scheffé test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression. RESULTS: Male nursing students' self-efficacy, social support, stress coping, and adaptation to college life were shown to all positively correlate with each other. The main factors influencing adaptation to college life were social support, self-efficacy, satisfaction with major, and problem-solving-centered stress coping. CONCLUSIONS: Strategies to enhance social support, self-efficacy, satisfaction with major, and problem-solving-centered stress coping should be developed to improve male nursing students' adaptation to college life.