The protective role of sense of humor against academic stress among Indonesian nursing students: A multivariate analysis

Abstract

Nursing students often face academic pressure due to the dual demands of theoretical coursework and clinical responsibilities. This stress can impact their psychological well-being and academic performance. Recent studies suggest that humor may function as a psychological buffer that enhancing emotional resilience and students' capacity to cope with academic challenges. However, few studies have investigated this topic specifically among nursing students worldwide. Therefore, this study aims to examine the relationship between sense of humor and perceived academic stress among undergraduate nursing students in Indonesia. It also seeks to evaluate whether humor serves as a protective psychological factor after adjusting for relevant demographic variables. A quantitative observational study with a cross-sectional data collection method was conducted, involving 300 final-year nursing students. The study used the Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale (MSHS) and an adapted Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) as instruments. To analyze the data, the study used descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses to identify variables for a multivariate logistic regression model. The study then used Adjusted Odds Ratios (AORs) to interpret the associations. Students with higher humor scores were significantly less likely to report high academic stress (AOR=0.363, 95% CI=0.224–0.589). This indicates that their odds of experiencing elevated stress levels were approximately 64% lower (1-0.363) compared to those with lower humor scores. Humor remained a significant predictor after adjusting for study duration. The final regression model explained 7.9% of the variance in stress status (Nagelkerke R²=0.079). Sense of humor may serve as a beneficial coping resource for reducing academic stress in high-pressure educational environments. Although the explained variance is modest, the findings support the inclusion of humor-promoting strategies in student mental health programs. Further nursing research is recommended to evaluate humor-based interventions across academic settings.

Keywords: Academic stress, emotion regulation, humor, nursing education, resilience