Examining the association between submissive behaviors and perceived social support in nursing students

Abstract

Objective: This descriptive study aimed to investigate the association between social support and submissive behavior in nursing students.Methods: The sample included 520 students studying in the nursing department of a government university in Turkey in the academic year 2014-2015. Data collection was achieved using demographics, the Submissive Behaviour Scale (SBS), and the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale (MDPSSS). For evaluating research data, frequency, percentages, means and standard deviations, Student's t-test, One way variance analysis, and Pearson correlation analysis were used.Results: The mean age of the participating students was 22.04 +/- 1.31 years, 67.7% were females, 43.8% were in their first year of study, and 83.7% required economic support. The total mean MDPSSS score of the students was 64.65 +/- 14.52, and the total mean SBS score was 36.15 +/- 9.63. The total mean MDPSSS scores of female students were significantly higher than those of male students (p<0.05); however, the mean SBS scores of male students were significantly higher than those of female students (p<0.05). A significant negative correlation was established between the students' mean SBS scores and total MDPSSS scores (p<0.05).Conclusion: In conclusion, the support of family and friends is important throughout the education of student nurses and that the support affected submissive behavior.