An Assessment of Mental Health Among Nursing Students Using the Mental Health Battery at Selected Nursing Colleges in Chamarajanagar District

Abstract

Mental health is a key determinant of academic performance and professional readiness among nursing students who are exposed to sustained academic and clinical demands. The present study employed a descriptive cross-sectional design to assess the mental health status of B.Sc. Nursing students using the standardized Mental Health Battery (MHB). A total of 200 students were selected through convenience sampling from nursing colleges in the Chamarajanagar district. The MHB assessed six dimensions, emotional stability, overall adjustment, autonomy, security–insecurity, self-concept, and intelligence. The findings indicated that 28% of students had poor mental health, 70.5% had average mental health, and 1.5% had good mental health. Male students demonstrated significantly higher overall mental health scores than female students (t = 2.24, p = 0.02), suggesting a better mental health status among males in this sample. Significant gender differences were observed in emotional stability, adjustment, self-concept, and intelligence (p < 0.05). Mental health status also varied significantly according to academic year (F = 2.95, p = 0.03) and socio-economic status (F = 3.42, p = 0.03). These findings underscore the need for systematic mental health screening and the implementation of structured psychological support services within nursing institutions to enhance students’ well-being and academic functioning.