Explore the Relationship Between Burnout with Resilience and Academic Stress Among Nursing Students

Abstract

Background: Burnout among nursing students is a growing concern worldwide due to the combined demands of rigorous academic workloads, emotionally challenging clinical experiences, and high expectations, all of which contribute to psychological distress and compromised educational outcomes. Resilience, defined as the capacity to adapt and recover from adversity, may serve as a protective factor against stress-induced burnout, while academic stress is known to exacerbate emotional exhaustion and disengagement. Understanding how these variables interact is essential for designing targeted interventions to improve student well-being and academic performance. Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationship between burnout, resilience, and academic stress among undergraduate nursing students. Methods: A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted among 150 nursing students from the University of Lahore. Data were collected using validated instruments: Maslach Burnout Inventory–Student Survey (MBI-SS), Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), and Student Academic Stress Scale (SASS). Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, independent t-tests, ANOVA, and multiple linear regression. Results: Burnout showed a strong positive correlation with academic stress (r = 0.75, p < 0.001) and a significant negative correlation with resilience (r = –0.60, p < 0.001). Resilience emerged as a strong negative predictor of burnout, while gender and academic year showed no significant effects. Conclusion: Resilience plays a critical protective role in mitigating burnout and academic stress among nursing students, underscoring the need for resilience-building strategies in nursing education.