Examining The Relationship Between The Social and Emotional Learning Skills, Professional Self-Esteem and Academic Major Satisfactions of The Nursing Students

Aim: This study aims to examine the relationship between the social and emotional learning skills, occupational self-esteem, and academic major satisfaction of nursing students.

Method: This descriptive study comprises 347 students as participants, who are studying at an undergraduate nursing school in Ankara. The study’s data was collected using the Academic Major Satisfaction Scale, the Social Emotional Learning Skills Scale, and the Professional Self Esteem Scale.

Results: Although no difference was found to exist between the nursing students’ social and emotional learning skills scale scores, a statistically significant difference was found in their academic major satisfaction and professional self-esteem scale scores (p<0.05). We analyze the results to determine the source of the difference. On the basis of our analysis, we can see that the first-year nursing students’ professional self-esteem scores were higher than those of the other classes (p<0.05), and the academic major satisfaction scores of the third and fourth year students were lower than those of first and second year students (p<0.05).

Conclusion: A positive relationship was found between professional self-esteem and academic major satisfaction. This study proposes to develop activities that aim to increase professional self-esteem by protecting the education curriculum, atmosphere, and strategies of the nursing school education process.