Exploring the Influence of Career Decision Self-Efficacy on Adjustment Challenges in Psychiatric Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Insight.

Objective: To explore the relationship between Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy and maladjustment among psychiatric nursing students.

Method: The results of baseline data, Mental Health Knowledge Questionnaire, Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy scale and Clinical Practice Maladjustment Questionnaire of psychiatric nursing students from January 2022 to August 2023 were obtained from our hospital, and the correlation of scores was examined through Pearson correlation analysis. The factors affecting psychiatric nursing students' maladjustment were analyzed through logistic regression analysis.

Results: A total of 286 psychiatric nursing students were included in this study. The total score of all students of Mental Health Law Knowledge Questionnaire score was 21.30 ± 5.28, the total score of Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy scale was 132.90 ± 13.36 and the total score of Clinical Practice Maladjustment Questionnaire was 102.85 ± 9.81. Positive correlations were found among the Mental Health Knowledge Questionnaire score and the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy scale and Clinical Practice Maladjustment Questionnaire (r = 0.550, 0.602, p < 0.05). Similarly, a positive correlation was found between the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy scale and Clinical Practice Maladjustment Questionnaire (r = 0.639, p < 0.05). Personality, school performance, Mental Health Knowledge Questionnaire score and Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale score were the main factors affecting clinical practice inadaptability of psychiatric nursing students, and the odds ratio (OR) values were higher than 1.

Conclusion: Psychiatric nursing students experienced maladjustment during clinical practice, and Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy was the main influencing factor.