Subjective well-being and its association with peer caring and resilience among nursing vs medical students: A questionnaire study

• Peer caring and resilience improved the SWB of both nursing and medical students.
• Resilience improved SWB through peer caring for both nursing and medical students.
• Higher resilience in medical students enhanced the positive effects of peer caring on SWB.

SummaryBackgroundThe subjective well-being (SWB) of nursing and medical students is a very important component in the training of future nurses and doctors, as well-being enables them to be more productive.ObjectivesThe study examined the effects of peer caring and resilience on SWB as well as the mediating and moderating effects of resilience in the relationship between peer caring and SWB.DesignA cross-sectional survey design was used.SettingsA university and an affiliated hospital in China.ParticipantsThe convenience sample consisted of 426 nursing students and 336 medical students.MethodsQuestionnaires comprising peer caring measurement, a resilience scale and a well-being scale were used in the spring of 2014.ResultsStudents participate in the study showed low SWB. There was a significant difference between nursing students and medical students in peer caring, but not in SWB and resilience.The mediating effects of resilience on the relationship between peer caring and SWB were examined. As hypothesized, resilience mediated the relationship between peer caring and SWB partly for nursing students (SE = 0.022, 95% CI = 0.041–0.128) and fully for medical students (SE = 0.023, 95% CI = 0.067–0.161). Resilience did not statistically significantly moderate the peer caring-SWB relationship for nursing students (β = 0.092, p = 0.057) but did so for medical students (β = 0.108, p < 0.05).ConclusionPeer caring and resilience improved the SWB of both nursing students and medical students. In addition, resilience improved SWB through peer caring for both nursing students and medical students, and higher resilience in medical students enhanced the positive effects of peer caring on SWB. Therefore, educators should promote peer caring and resilience in order to improve students' SWB.