A Holistic Approach to Nursing Students’ Changing Life and Anxiety in the Pandemic: A Descriptive Cross Sectional Study Utilizing Positive Psychotherapy

The life balance model of positive psychotherapy states that human lives have four dimensions: body, achievement, relationships, and spirituality. When these dimensions are in balance, people are healthy and productive. This study aimed to determine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing students’ anxiety levels and life balance. This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted with 584 nursing students studying at 3 different universities in Turkey. The participants experienced significant changes in the life balance model’s dimensions of achievement, body, relationships, and spirituality before and during the pandemic. The participants’ anxiety increased with changes in these dimensions. Based on these results, it would be beneficial to support students in order to meet the needs in the life dimensions that students neglect. In addition, it is thought that the life balance model, which is being used for the first time in nursing, can be developed as a tool in the nursing practice.