Investigating the predictability of social support and self-esteem on the resilience of students with chronic illness in the family

BACKGROUND: Since living with a person with a chronic illness in the family can affect the mental state of students, it is necessary to help students by determining and increasing predictors of resilience, followed by increasing their resilience and self-esteem. It protects them from experiencing physical, mental, and educational problems. Aim of this study was determining of predictive level of social support and self-esteem with resilience in students of University of Medical Sciences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional, descriptive, analytic study was conducted in 2019 on 220 students of University of Medical Sciences, Ardabil, Iran. The statistical population included 3500 students. Purposeful sampling was performed on students who were studying and had a chronic patient in the family. Demographic, social support, resilience, and self-esteem questionnaires were used to collect data. To analyze the results, the mean, standard deviation, Pearson's correlation test, Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, and linear regression test were used. RESULTS: Students had a high mean social support, resilience, and self-esteem. The results showed that the correlation coefficient between resilience and social support was 0.411, and also, the correlation between resilience and self-esteem was 0.396. The results showed that self-esteem had a greater positive effect on resilience than perceived social support. CONCLUSION: The present study concluded that the variables of social support and self-esteem had a direct relationship with students’ resilience. Based on this, steps can be taken to strengthen and improve students’ resilience by improving the perceived support and self-esteem of students.