Influencing factors of self-directed learning abilities of medical students of mainland China: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the level of medical students’ self-directed learning (SDL) ability in mainland China and to identify its modifiable influencing factors for medical educators to take measures to improve medical professionals’ ability in SDL. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study conducted between January and June 2019. SETTING: This study involved students from five medical colleges located in the cities of Shenyang, Binzhou, Xuzhou, Shanghai and Guangzhou of mainland China. PARTICIPANTS: Participants included 365 medical students and residents sampled by the stratified clustered random method from five medical colleges. METHODS: The t-test, F-test and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to test the association between personal and contextual factors of medical students and SDL. RESULTS: The mean total SDL score was 76.12 (SD=10.96), implying that Chinese mainland medical students had moderate SDL ability. A univariate analysis found that the personal characteristics of confidence, students’ enjoyment of their specialty, utilisation of library resources, learning goals and habits and academic performance as well as the contextual factors of age, gender, learning resources, family income and group discussion were significantly associated with the total SDL score (p<0.05). Multiple linear regression analyses showed that academic performance, learning goals, confidence, learning resources, utilisation of library resources, family income and age were significantly associated with the total SDL score (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study indicated that the contextual factors of learning resources, family income and age as well as the personal factors of academic performance, learning goals, confidence and utilisation of library resources were associated with medical students’ SDL ability in mainland China. It may be advisable to implement appropriate teaching strategies to improve students’ confidence and assist them establish learning goals, as well as to amplify school learning resources and encourage students to use them fully.