Effectiveness of a Mental Health Program using Instagram (Friendship Town) for Newly Entered Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a mental health program utilizing Instagram for nursing students.Methods: A non-equivalent control group pretest-posttest design was used. Fifty-seven nursing students who enrolled in a university during the COVID-19 pandemic in South Korea participated in the study: 30 nursing students (26 females and 4 males) in the experimental group and 27 nursing students (21 females and 6 males) in the control group. The Instagram Program for mental health provided 8 sessions for each topic. The data collected via questionnaires were statistically analyzed.Results: Significant differences were found between the two groups in depression (t=-2.32, <i>p</i>=.024) and anxiety (t=-2.43, <i>p</i>=.018), but there was no significant difference in loneliness (t=0.64, <i>p</i>=.263).Conclusion: The Instagram program is accessible for incoming nursing students and effective in decreasing their depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 era. Therefore, this intervention could enhance the mental health of nursing students by allowing them to express their thoughts and feelings through mutual interaction on Instagram.