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 (β = 0.417, p < 0.001) and positive academic emotion (β = 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.