The mediating effect of the positive psychological capital between self-determination and grit in nursing students

Abstract

Purpose: This is a study to confirm the mediating effect of positive psychological capital in the relationship between the self-determination and grit of nursing students.Methods: The subjects of the study were 122 university nursing department students in their junior and senior years. The data were collected from December 1 to 23, 2022. The collected data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, Mann–Whitney U-test, Pearson’s correlation, and a hierarchical multiple regression analysis using IBM SPSS statistics version 26.0.Results: A statistically significant correlation was observed between self-determination, positive psychological capital and grit (<i>p</i><.001). The positive psychological capital had full mediation effects on the relationship between self-determination and grit. In other words, the higher levels of positive psychological capital were associated with better levels of grit among nursing students.Conclusion: The study showed that positive psychological capital and self-determination have important effects on grit. To enhance the grit of nursing students, it is essential to implement educational programs aimed at improving self-determination and positive psychological capital.