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Original Research Article

Bullying Experiences and Perceived Stress Among Student Nurses in South-eastern Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Onia Orinate Peters, Emmanuel Obioma Nkwocha, Ifeanyi Hermanguild Uzomanze

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Onia Orinate Peters Corresponding Author

Psychology Unit, Merit College of Nursing Sciences, Orlu, Nigeria

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-6873-5465

Correspondence: orinatepeters3@gmail.com

Received
26 Jun 2026
Published
10 Jul 2026

Abstract

Background: Nursing students face significant academic demands and interpersonal challenges, including bullying within hierarchical educational environments. These stressors may negatively impact psychological well-being, academic performance, and professional development. However, limited empirical evidence exists on these issues among student nurses in Orlu, Imo State, Nigeria. Objective: This cross-sectional study examined bullying experiences, perceived stress, and coping strategies among 313 student nurses selected from three nursing training institutions in Orlu, Imo State, Nigeria. Methods: A structured questionnaire comprising the Negative Acts Questionnaire-Revised (NAQ-R), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and Brief COPE Inventory was administered. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and Chi-square tests. Results: Bullying was moderately experienced (mean=2.67±0.62), with fear of expressing opinion in class (2.92) and verbal insults (2.87) being most common. Perceived stress was high (mean=3.00±0.58), with 53.4% reporting high stress, primarily from academic workload (3.21) and clinical anxiety (3.18). Students predominantly used adaptive coping strategies (mean=3.11), with prayer (3.41) and social support (3.24) most frequent. Pearson correlation revealed a significant moderate positive relationship between bullying and perceived stress (r=0.524, p<0.001). The majority (86.6%) reported being bullied, with no significant association between year of study and bullying experiences (χ²=6.342, df=8, p=0.609). Conclusion: Bullying contributes significantly to perceived stress among student nurses. Nursing institutions should implement anti-bullying policies, stress management programmes, and culturally appropriate coping interventions.

Keywords:  bullying, Perceived Stress, Coping Strategies, Student Nurses, Cross-Sectional Study, Nigeria.

How to Cite

APA

Peters, O. O., Nkwocha, E. O., & Uzomanze, I. H. (2026). Bullying Experiences and Perceived Stress Among Student Nurses in South-eastern Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study.. Journal of Contemporary Academic Research and Methodologies, 1(5). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21357519

MLA

Peters, Onia Orinate, Emmanuel Obioma Nkwocha, and Ifeanyi Hermanguild Uzomanze. "Bullying Experiences and Perceived Stress Among Student Nurses in South-eastern Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study.." Journal of Contemporary Academic Research and Methodologies, vol. 1, no. 5, 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21357519

Chicago

Peters, Onia Orinate, Emmanuel Obioma Nkwocha, and Ifeanyi Hermanguild Uzomanze. "Bullying Experiences and Perceived Stress Among Student Nurses in South-eastern Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Study.." Journal of Contemporary Academic Research and Methodologies 1, no. 5 (2026). https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21357519

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ISSN 3139-7247
Tracking ID JCARM_JUN_26_146
Article No. 050
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Journal JCARM
Volume Vol 1, No 5
Year 2026
Type Original Research Article
Licence CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
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