Social-Emotional Competence and Academic Achievement of Nursing Students: A Canonical Correlation Analysis

Exploring levels of empathy and assertiveness in final year physiotherapy students during clinical placements

Empathy and assertiveness are two essential soft skills for any healthcare professional's competence and ethical development. It has been shown that empathy can be influenced throughout the training of a future healthcare professional, particularly during the clinical placement period. This research aims to assess fourth-year physiotherapy students' empathic and assertive development before and after clinical placement. A longitudinal observational study was conducted with fourth-year physiotherapy students during the academic year 2022/2023. A preliminary assessment of empathy and assertiveness levels was carried out before the start of the clinical placement and at the end of the placement using the Individual Reactivity Index to assess empathy and the Rathus Test to assess assertiveness. The results show a statistically significant difference (p ≤ 0.05) in both the empathy subscales of perspective-taking and empathic-concern between the pre- and postassessment, as well as an inverse correlation between the empathy subscale of personal distress and assertiveness. It is concluded that students show adequate results in empathy and assertiveness. However, there is some influence of clinical practice on the development of empathy, and future intervention studies need to be considered. Furthermore, students with higher levels of assertiveness have lower levels of personal distress, suggesting that assertiveness is closely related to empathy.

A scale for assessing nursing students' emotional competence: A validation study

BACKGROUND

The wellbeing of nursing professionals can be affected by emotionally challenging situations. Emotional intelligence (EI) is a recognised ability to manage stress, reduce work overload, and improve clinical relationships and decision making. Therefore, these emotional skills should be identified and developed throughout nursing education.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study is to create an observer-based emotional measurement tool to assess the level of emotional skills in university students.

DESIGN

This is a cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Complutense University in Madrid, Spain.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 415 first- and fourth-year nursing students participated.

METHODS

The Situational Emotional Response Scale (ERES) is a questionnaire for observing emotional competence in nursing practice. It underwent content validation using the Delphi method with 6 experts, resulting in a final version of 34 items. Focus group sessions were conducted with nursing students to ensure readability and appropriateness. Participants completed the ERES after viewing two clinical interaction videos, resulting in two sets of responses. Half of the responses were used for exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and half for confirmatory factor analysis (CFA).

RESULTS

A total of 415 nursing students participated in the study. Four factors were extracted, explaining 55.1 % of the variance. The CFA was conducted with 208 students, yielding a total of 4 factors and a variance of 55.1 %. The internal consistency of the scale was high, with Cronbach's α and McDonald's ω coefficients of 0.947 and 0.949, respectively. Test-retest reliability showed a moderate intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.604 (95 % CI: 0.503-0.688) over a 15-day interval.

CONCLUSIONS

The ERES questionnaire is well grounded in the theoretical framework of emotional competence as manifested in clinical practice. The empirical evidence provided by this study suggests that the ERES is a reliable, valid, useful, and innovative instrument for measuring emotional competence in university students.

The level of emotional intelligence among Saudi nursing students: A cross-sectional study

Background

Emotional intelligence is an individual's capacity to comprehend, use, and control their own emotions to communicate and connect with people successfully. The emotional intelligence level among nursing students indicates their ability to regulate their emotions, possess self-awareness, demonstrate empathy, have motivation, and display social skills, impacting how they adapt during their education and preparation for nursing care. However, studies investigating emotional intelligence in the Saudi Arabian context are scarce.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the degree of emotional intelligence and its differences according to sociodemographic variables among nursing students in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was undertaken with 322 nursing students conveniently selected at Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected between May and June 2023 utilizing the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT). Descriptive statistics, such as mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage, independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used for data analysis.

Results

Most of the students had emotional intelligence levels ranging from moderate to high (96.6%). There were significant differences in emotional intelligence levels according to the age of students, gender, year of study, marital status, mother's education, physical and psychological health, and grade point average (p <0.05).

Conclusion

The study findings may offer valuable insights for nursing educators in universities, emphasizing the importance of enhancing emotional intelligence and integrating it into nursing curricula. Additionally, it highlights the need to develop effective strategies and training sessions and workshops according to sociodemographic factors to enhance emotional intelligence levels among nursing students.

Chinese version of Yoon Critical Thinking Disposition Instrument: validation using classical test theory and Rasch analysis

BACKGROUND

Despite the availability of a wide range of critical thinking instruments, there was no original design for nurses that has been translated into Chinese. However, only instruments designed specifically for the nursing discipline would be reliable. This study aimed to translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Yoon Critical Thinking Disposition Instrument in the Chinese context.

METHODS

A four-step translation process was implemented according to Word Health Organization guidelines, which included forward translation, expert panel review, backward translation, and pre-testing. Experts and nursing students participated in testing the validity and reliability of the Chinese version.

RESULTS

The translation of the instrument went smoothly. According to a confirmatory factor analysis, there was an acceptable fit for the seven-factor model. Content validity indices ranged from 0.6 to 1 at item level, and 0.94 at scale level. In addition, there was extremely high internal consistency and test-retest reliability in the translated instrument. There was a good fit for the items with both person and item reliabilities greater than 0.6 and a separation index of 2.19, respectively. The item location was identified from the wright map as not covering person ability, but the scale did not have a gender-related differential item functioning.

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, a critical thinking disposition instrument for nursing students was translated into Chinese for the first time. This translated instrument is a reliable tool with satisfactory validity and reliability. It could provide opportunities for building a cross-cultural understanding of critical thinking disposition.

Are emotionally competent adults emotionally available parents? Examination of theoretical and empirical relationships in a video-recorded parent-child interaction clinical preschool-aged sample

OBJECTIVE

Emotional competence (EC) describes one's general ability to perceive, express, process, and regulate their own emotions as well as those of others. In the clinical context of parent-child interactions, the specific ability to perceive, express and regulate a child's emotions is conceptually covered by the Emotional Availability Scales (EAS). We aim to examine theoretical and empirical overlaps between EC (Rindermann) and emotional availability (EA; Biringen) for theoretical, diagnostic, and therapeutic reasons.

METHODS

Parents of a clinically referred sample of preschool-aged children (55 dyads) filled out a self-report questionnaire (ECQ), and certified and blinded raters applied the EAS via observations. In a novel approach, the EC was additionally estimated with independent ratings made by two further observers. All dyads were coded on 10-min video-recorded parent-child interactions during free play.

RESULTS

In bivariate and multivariate analyses, EC scores from observational ratings were strongly associated with independently rated clinical emotional availability scores. EC scores from self-reports were moderately associated with emotional availability scores. A post hoc power analysis estimated β error probabilities.

CONCLUSIONS

EC may represent an important personal precondition to an emotionally available parent. As such, we discuss implications for early risk factor assessments for child development and highlight new prevention approaches, new diagnostic options, and refined treatment goals. Limitations included the sample size, assessment, and the influence of study design on results.

Importance of Soft Skills in Health Sciences Students and Their Repercussion after the COVID-19 Epidemic: Scoping Review

Soft skills (SKs) are skills related to the interaction among people and their way of dealing with tasks. Increasingly valued in the workplace, they are especially relevant in health professionals due to the importance of the relationship among them and their patients and families. Given their importance, the university training of healthcare professionals must promote the development of SKs. The COVID-19 pandemic has been a turning point in many areas, changing the learning process and, even more, the use of these soft skills as a fundamental ingredient in human relationships. The aim of this study was to analyse the available evidence regarding SKs in health science students, specifically nursing students, and to describe whether there is a worsening in the development of such skills after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the PRISMA-ScR methodology for systematic reviews, this study included articles on social skills and possible changes in these skills as a consequence of the pandemic in health sciences students The results highlight the importance of these emotional competences for future nurses, being particularly relevant for communication and emotional self-awareness and showing their influence on academic aspects, such as academic performance or mental health and coping skills. A major limitation of the present study was not considering aspects such as compassion or empathy. However, the novelty provided by this work is the analysis of the changes in SKs produced as a consequence of the pandemic. It is definitely clear that there is a need to enhance emotional intelligence, and thus soft skills, in future health professionals.

How the home learning environment contributes to children's social-emotional competence: A moderated mediation model

Introduction

The home learning environment is the earliest contact learning environment in early childhood development, which plays an important role in the development of children's social-emotional competence. However, previous studies have not clarified the precise mechanisms by which the home learning environment influences children's social-emotional competence. Therefore, the purpose of the study is to explore the relationship between the home learning environment and its intrinsic structure (i.e. structural family characteristics, parental beliefs and interests, and the educational processes) and children's social-emotional competence, and whether gender plays a moderating role in the relationship.

Method

The study randomly selected a sample of 443 children from 14 kindergartens in western China. The Home Learning Environment Questionnaire and the Chinese Inventory of Children's Social-emotional competence scale were used to investigate the home learning environment and social-emotional competence of these children.

Results

(1) Structural family characteristics and parental beliefs and interests both had a significant positive predictive effect on children's social-emotional competence. (2) The educational processes fully mediate between structural family characteristics, parental beliefs and interests, and children's social-emotional competence. (3) Gender moderated the effect of the home learning environment on children's social-emotional competence. Gender moderates not only the indirect effects between parental beliefs and interests and children's social-emotional competence, but also the indirect effects between structural family characteristics and children's social-emotional competence. At the same time, gender also moderated the direct effects between parental beliefs and interests and children's social-emotional competence.

Discussion

The results emphasize the crucial role of the home learning environment in the development of children's early social-emotional competence. Therefore, parents should pay attention to the home learning environment and improve their ability to create a home learning environment that promotes the positive development of children's social-emotional competence.

Level of Social Competencies of Nurses in Primary Healthcare and their Selected Work Related Determinants - a cross-sectional study

AIM

The aim of our study was to assess the level of social competencies among primary healthcare nurses, and to identify the work-related determinants.

BACKGROUND

Developing social skills of nurses are necessary to establish better relations with patients. Improving these skills allows for higher quality of patient care, as well as patient and nurse satisfaction.

METHODS

For the study, 253 Primary Healthcare Centers were randomly chosen in the Eastern Poland. 600 questionnaires were sent to the nurses employed in these facilities. After checking whether the data met the requirements, 446 nurses took part in the survey. The data were collected using the Social Competencies Profile; the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire and the Catalog of primary healthcare nurse activities.

RESULTS

Older nurses possess lower level of social skills (r=-0.10, p=0.04). Postgraduate education in the last two years differentiated the results of social competencies (p=0.03) as well as place of residence in the subscale community awareness (p=0.04). The predictors of social skills among psychosocial work conditions were: Influence at Work (p=0.02), Possibilities for Development (p<0.001), Meaning of Work (p<0.001), Social Support (p=0.001), Quality of Leadership (p=0.03), Job Satisfaction (p<0.001) and General Health (p=0.001). On the other hand, tasks like: Activities in the treatment room (p=0.003) and Promotion and prevention (p<0.001) carried out by a nurse anticipated higher level of social skills.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the research proved that work-related factors such as: influence at work, professional development, sense of social support, understanding of the meaning of work, perception of the quality of leadership and higher job satisfaction influence the development of social competencies of nurses, therefore, shaping an appropriate work environment is an important task, especially for leaders and managers of nursing.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

We recommend that nursing leaders and health policy makers adopt new strategies and educational programs which include social skills training as part of the curriculum for the development of the social competencies of nurses.

Emotional Intelligence Scale for Male Nursing Students and Its Latent Regression on Gender and Background Variables

This study aimed to develop an emotional intelligence (EI) scale for male nursing students and investigate its associations with gender, age, religious beliefs, and father’s and mother’s education level. We recruited 384 male nursing students in Taiwan to construct an EI scale comprising 16 items with four factors: recognizing the emotions of others, emotional self-awareness, self-emotional expression, and self-emotional management. The scale had factor loadings of 0.64−0.80. The reliability coefficients for the subscales ranged from 0.80 to 0.84, while that for the total scale was 0.93. We also recruited 402 female nursing students for comparison. Latent multiple regression of the EI factors showed that male students had higher self-emotional expression but lower self-emotional management than females. Age was negatively associated with self-emotional management for both genders. Religious beliefs were negatively associated with emotional self-awareness in male students, and with recognizing the emotions of others in females. Father’s and mother’s education had no association with EI in male students; however, father’s education was positively associated with all EI factors in females, and mother’s education was negatively associated with recognizing the emotions of others and self-emotional expression. These results provide insight into male nursing students’ EI and the background variables influencing EI.

A literature review of emotional intelligence and nursing education

AIM

The purpose of this study is to investigate the current state of knowledge about emotional intelligence (EI) in nursing education BACKGROUND: Human relationships and emotions are an integral part of nursing care and contribute to care quality. This part of the profession must be addressed in nursing education to prepare students and deal with their emotions and the patients's. Research on emotional intelligence (EI) in nursing has been particularly developed recently. A broad understanding of many benefits of EI is crucial to include EI in this training program.

DESIGN

Systematic literature review METHODS: Undertaken using electronic database (Cairn; PubMed; Science Direct; Wiley online library) and specific search terms. This research covered articles published in English and French between 2007 and 2021. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines (PRISMA) directed the systematic review process.

RESULTS

57 articles are included in this systematic review. The literature focuses on EI and nursing education. The findings categorized into four themes: EI and performances; EI and Physical and mental health; EI and Social Relationship; and EI program.

CONCLUSIONS

This literature review reveals that EI has many benefits in nursing students. Several training programs aimed at developing this concept have proven to be effective in nursing education. We believe that a synthesis of this knowledge will then allow us to better understand the benefits of EI for a further implementation in nursing education. Perspectives and recommendations will also be formulated to enable the implementation of emotional skill development programs in such training.