Mental health stigma among nursing students: current status and intervention strategies- an integrative review

Aims to synthesize the current evidence on the prevalence of mental health stigma among nursing students and to summarize the interventions that have been developed and evaluated to reduce such stigma.

A comprehensive search was conducted across PubMed, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases for peer-reviewed studies published in English between January 2018 and June 2024.

A total of 25 studies were included. The prevalence of mental health stigma among nursing students was found to be moderate to high. Stigma manifested in various forms, including negative attitudes toward patients, internalized shame, and public stigma directed at nursing students themselves. Interventions such as mental health training, empathy enhancement programs, and clinical internships demonstrated varying degrees of effectiveness in reducing stigma, with multi-component interventions showing the most promise.

Mental health stigma among nursing students is a persistent and multifaceted issue that requires targeted strategies to address. Enhancing mental health education, increasing clinical exposure, and implementing comprehensive intervention programs are essential steps to reduce stigma and support the development of compassionate, skilled nursing professionals.