THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EARLY MALADAPTIVE SCHEMAS AND PERCEIVED STRESS AMONG NURSING STUDENTS AT THE BENI MELLAL HIGHER INSTITUTE OF NURSING PROFESSIONS AND HEALTH TECHNIQUES IN MOROCCO.

Background: The study aimed to explore the relationship between early maladaptive schemas (EMS) and perceived stress. Material/Methods: We tested 136 first-cycle students at the Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques (ISPITS) in Béni Mellal. 25.7% male (35 students) and 74.3% female (101 students). 80.14% of students were under 21 years of age, 18.3% were between 21 and23-years-old, and 1.56% were over 24-years-old. This distribution reflects the typical age and gender ratio in nursing programs, where female students often outnumber male students. A descriptive correlational design, through the Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), was employed. Results: The results indicate that a significant proportion of nursing students experience high levels of EMS. The most prevalent schemas were emotional inhibition (74.26%), emotional deprivation (63.23%), and abandonment (55.14%). The results indicate significant positive correlations between several EMS and perceived stress levels, particularly the "Abandonment, "Emotional Deprivation", and "Emotional Inhibition" schemas. The regression model explained 42.3% of the variance in perceived stress (R² = 0.423, F[7, 128] = 12.45, p < 0.001), indicating that these EMS significantly predict the level of perceived stress among the students. Abandonment (ß = 0.35, p = 0.004) and emotional inhibition (ß = 0.25, p = 0.035) were the most significant predictors. Conclusions: These findings suggest that addressing EMS is essential for mitigating stress and promoting mental health among nursing students. The study highlights the need for targeted interventions to support students' emotional well-being, ultimately enhancing their academic and professional success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]