The link among academic stress, sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, academic performance, and the moderating role of resourcefulness in health professions students during COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND: The rapid shift to virtual learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to high academic stress among health profession students. High academic stress was associated with impaired psychosocial well-being and decreased academic performance. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between academic stress, anxiety, sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, academic performance, and the moderating effect of resourcefulness among undergraduate health profession students. METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study included undergraduate health profession students. The primary investigator distributed the study link to all students through the university's Central Messaging Centre, Twitter account, and WhatsApp. The study variables were measured using the Student Life Stress Inventory, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire, the Centre for Epidemiology Scale of Depression, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and the Resourcefulness Skills Scale. Pearson R correlation and linear regression analysis were utilized for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Our sample included 94 undergraduate health profession students, 60 % of which were females with a mean age of 21, and the majority were nursing and medicine students. High academic stress, anxiety, sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, and resourcefulness were reported among 50.6 %, 43 %, 79.6 %, 60.2 %, and 60 % of the participants, respectively. However, no effect of resourcefulness was found on any of the study variables. Instead, academic stress and sleep disturbances were the strongest predictors of depressive symptoms regardless of the level of resourcefulness. CONCLUSION: Adequate academic support during virtual learning and tools to early detect subtle signs of high academic stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance should be routinely utilized by educational institutions. In addition, incorporating sleep hygiene and resourcefulness training in health professions education is highly indicated.