The Effects of Stress and Social Support on Illness Symptom, Loneliness, and the Satisfaction with the School: A Longitudinal Study of Student Nurses.

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to longitudinally investigate the effects of stress and social support on illness symptom, loneliness, and the satisfaction with the school in a life transition. Sixty-five freshmen in a nurses' school filled out a questionnaire two times: immediately after enrolment and before summer vacation. They all lived with parents.
Major findings are as follows: (1) In comparison with first survey, stress and the number of friends in the same school increased and loneliness decreased at second survey. (2) At both first and second survey illness symptom in high stress was more than in low stress, regardless of the level of social support. Loneliness in high support was less than in low support, regardless of the stress level. (3)The level of loneliness was determined by social support at both survey. Illness symptom was determined by stress, social support and the satisfaction with the school at fitst survey. At second survey, illness symptom was determined by stress and the satisfaction with the school.