What affects self-regulated learning ability in undergraduate nursing students: A structural equation modelling approach

Aim: To examine how the effects of hardiness, self-efficacy and positive academic emotion related to the SRL ability of undergraduate nursing students. Design: A cross-sectional survey was designed. Methods: A total of 395 Chinese undergraduate nursing students from two undergraduate colleges filled out the questionnaires from May to June 2019. The relationships between hardiness, self-efficacy, positive academic emotion and SRL ability were analysed by structural equation modelling. Results: The response rate was 94.05%. SRL ability was significantly positive correlated with hardiness, self-efficacy and positive academic emotion in undergraduate nursing students. Self-efficacy (beta = 0.417, p < 0.001) and positive academic emotion (beta = 0.232, p < 0.001) showed a direct effect on the SRL ability. Although hardiness showed no direct effect on the SRL ability, it affected SRL ability through three indirect ways: self-efficacy (77.778%), positive academic emotion (14.184%) and the chain mediating effect from self-efficacy to positive academic emotion (8.038%). Conclusions: Nursing students with a higher level of hardiness would have higher self-efficacy, and more positive and stable academic emotions to obtain the better SRL ability. The produced model provides insights into several factors associated with SRL ability of nursing students. Hardiness, self-efficacy and positive academic emotion should be emphasized in the education of nursing students because these factors could improve their SRL ability and promote their life-long learning.