The Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Anxiety among First-Year Nursing Students

Authors

  • Muhammad Imam Baihaqi Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta
  • Arif Widodo Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37287/ijghr.v8i6.2558

Keywords:

academic adaptation, anxiety, first-year students, nursing, self-efficacy

Abstract

First-year nursing students are prone to experiencing anxiety during the transition to university due to increased academic demands and the adaptation process. Self-efficacy is considered an important factor in helping students cope with these challenges. To analyse the relationship between self-efficacy and anxiety levels among first-year students in the Bachelor of Nursing programme at Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta. This study employed a quantitative analytical design with a cross-sectional approach. The study involved 140 first-year students who were selected using proportional random sampling. Self-efficacy was evaluated using the adopted General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) questionnaire with validity test results of r_"table"   (0.361)<r_"count"   (0.539"--" 0.733) and reliability test result of 0.847, while anxiety was evaluated using the adopted State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) questionnaire with established construct validity and reliability test results of 0.86"--" 0.95, which means that both questionnaires are proven to be valid and reliable. Data were analysed using Spearman's rank correlation test. The mean self-efficacy score was 40.89 ± 5.743, while the mean anxiety score was 38.09 ± 9.382. A significant negative correlation was found between self-efficacy and anxiety levels (rs = −0.399; p < 0.001). Higher self-efficacy was associated with lower anxiety levels among first-year nursing students.

References

Alemany-arrebola, I., Rojas-ruiz, G., Granda-vera, J., & Davis, M. C. (2020). Influence of COVID-19 on the Perception of Academic Self-Efficacy , State Anxiety , and Trait Anxiety in College Students. 11(October), 1–7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.570017

Anicama, J., Calderón, R., Javier-Aliaga, D., Caballero, G., Talla, K., Pizarro, R., Calizaya-Milla, Y. E., & Saintila, J. (2025). Self-efficacy and stress as predictors of anxiety in Peruvian and Mexican university students: a cross-sectional study. Frontiers in Education, 10, 1423406. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1423406

Anshori, R. (2023). Hubungan Efikasi Diri Dengan Tingkat Kecemasan Mahasiswa Baru Program Studi S1 Keperawatan Di Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu.

Bandura, A., & Watts, R. E. (1997). Self-Efficacy in Changing Societies. In Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy (Vol. 10, Issue 4). https://doi.org/10.1891/0889-8391.10.4.313

Cao, H. Q., & Han, C. W. (2024). The effect of Chinese vocational college students’ perception of feedback on online learning engagement: academic self-efficacy and test anxiety as mediating variables. Frontiers in Psychology, 15, 1326746. https://doi.org/10.3389/FPSYG.2024.1326746/BIBTEX

Efstathiou, M., Kakaidi, V., Tsitsas, G., Mantzoukas, S., Gouva, M., & Dragioti, E. (2025). The prevalence of mental health issues among nursing students: An umbrella review synthesis of meta-analytic evidence. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2025.104993

Haruna, U., Mohammed, A., & Braimah, M. (2025). Understanding the burden of depression , anxiety and stress among first-year undergraduate students.

Kristensen, S. M., Larsen, T. M. B., Urke, H. B., & Danielsen, A. G. (2023). Academic Stress, Academic Self-efficacy, and Psychological Distress: A Moderated Mediation of Within-person Effects. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 52(7), 1512. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10964-023-01770-1

Laksmiwati, E. D., & Tondok, M. S. (2023). Perceived Social Support, Academic Self-Efficacy, and Anxiety among Final Year Undergraduate Students: A Mediation Analysis. Bulletin of Counseling and Psychotherapy, 5(2), 173–182. https://doi.org/10.51214/00202305514000

Li, Y., & Zheng, P. (2025). Trait resilience protects against social anxiety in college students through emotion regulation and coping strategies. Scientific Reports, 15(1), 28143-. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13674-0

Liyanage, S., Saqib, K., Khan, A. F., Thobani, T. R., & Tang, W. (2022). Prevalence of Anxiety in University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic : A Systematic Review.

Mardiah, A., Widodo, A., & Thuy, L. T. (2022). A literature review of benson relaxation technique for reducing anxiety in patients with chronic kidney disease. Innovation in Health for Society, 2(1), 3–7. https://doi.org/10.31603/ihs.7231

Meiliana, W., Lukmanulhakim, & Rachmaniah, D. (2024). Self-Efficacy On Anxiety Levels In Facing Of Competency Tests For Students Of The Nurse Profession. Proceedings OPTIMAL. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.15963351

Meng, N. W., Ravindran, D., Yi, P. J., Leng, L. M., Yusof, J., & Sow, F. (2020). Self-Efficacy and Anxiety among Undergraduate University Students. 2, 37–41.

Mengesha, A. K., Misker, M. F., & Tadesse, S. A. (2025). Identifying factors contributing to depression and anxiety among medical students: a multicenter cross-sectional study. Scientific Reports 2025 15:1, 15(1), 33792-. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-99177-4

Namina, F. S., & Mediawati, A. S. (2025). Hubungan Efikasi Diri Dengan Kecemasan Akademik Pada Mahasiswa Baru Fakultas Keperawatan Universitas Padjadjaran. 6(1), 1–12.

Purwanti, I. Y., Wangid, M. N., & Aminah, S. (2020). Self-Efficacy and Academic Anxiety of College Students.

Rosita, F. N., & Dharma, U. S. (2021). Prevalensi dan Asosiasi Antara Depresi , Kecemasan , Stres , dan Kualitas Tidur Pada Mahasiswa Selama Pandemi Covid-19 ( Prevalence and Association Between Depression , Anxiety , Stres , and Sleep Quality of University Student During Pandemic Covid-19 ). 20(2), 131–143. https://doi.org/10.24167/psidim.v20i2.3507

Sabrina, H. A., Purnomo, Y. W., Firdaus, F. M., & Danuri. (2024). Exploring Higher Education Students’ Self-Efficacy: How Self-Efficacy Dimensions Influence Numeracy. Al-Bidayah : Jurnal Pendidikan Dasar Islam, 16(2), 349–368. https://doi.org/10.14421/Al-Bidayah.V16I2.10166

Sanger, A. Y., Yesnat2, B., Keperawatan, F., Klabat, U., Mononutu, J. A., Bawah, A., Utara, M., & Utara, S. (2024). Self-Efficacy Dan Kecemasan Pada Mahasiswa Keperawatan Dalam Menghadapi Ujian Praktik Laboratorium. Klabat Journal of Nursing, 6(1), 42–49. https://doi.org/10.37771/KJN.V6I1.1066

Shehadeh, J., Hamdan-Mansour, A. M., Halasa, S. N., Hani, M. H. B., Nabolsi, M. M., Thultheen, I., & Nassar, O. S. (2020). Academic Stress and Self-Efficacy as Predictors of Academic Satisfaction among Nursing Students. The Open Nursing Journal, 14(1), 92–99. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874434602014010092

Widodo, A. (2021). Pengantar Promosi Kesehatan Jiwa (1st ed.). Literasi Nusantara Abadi.

Wingfield, J., & Tracy-Bronson, C. P. (2024). Leaders’ Social and Disability Justice Drive to Cultivate Inclusive Schooling. Education Sciences 2024, Vol. 14, Page 424, 14(4), 424. https://doi.org/10.3390/EDUCSCI14040424

Xu, T., Zhu, P., Ji, Q., Wang, W., Qian, M., & Shi, G. (2023). Psychological distress and academic self-efficacy of nursing undergraduates under the normalization of COVID-19: multiple mediating roles of social support and mindfulness. BMC Medical Education, 23(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04288-z

Yang, L., Wang, N., Li, D., Zhao, X., Wen, M., Zhang, Y., & Liu, Y. (2025). Social support and anxiety, a moderated mediating model. Scientific Reports 2025 15:1, 15(1), 29390-. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-14336-x

Downloads

Published

2026-08-27

How to Cite

Baihaqi, M. I., & Widodo, A. (2026). The Relationship between Self-Efficacy and Anxiety among First-Year Nursing Students. Indonesian Journal of Global Health Research, 8(6), 57–62. https://doi.org/10.37287/ijghr.v8i6.2558

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.