Mindfulness, Gratitude, and Self-Compassion as Sequential Mediators Between Life Stress and the Outcomes of Stress Response and Mental Well-Being among Korean Nursing Students

Stress adversely affects physical and mental health, particularly among nursing students. This study examined a serial mediation model in which mindfulness promotes gratitude and self-compassion, which in turn mediates the effect of life stress on stress response and mental well-being among nursing students in South Korea. A cross-sectional study design was employed, utilizing a convenience sample of 89 junior and senior nursing students from a university in Seoul, South Korea. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires, assessing life stress, stress response, mindfulness, gratitude disposition, self-compassion, and mental well-being. Descriptive statistics, t -tests, Pearson’s correlations, and bootstrapping analyses were conducted to test the hypothesized serial mediation model. The results revealed a significant pathway linking life stress to stress response through the serial mediation of mindfulness and gratitude disposition, as well as the pathway through mindfulness and self-compassion. Moreover, mindfulness’s indirect effect was not significant. These findings indicate that mindfulness, gratitude disposition, and self-compassion mediate life stress, stress response, and mental well-being. Consequently, developing integrated intervention programs that combine these psychological resources may assist nursing students in managing stress more effectively and enhance their overall well-being.