The role of ego-resiliency in the relationship between social anxiety and problem solving ability among South Korean nursing students

• Published in: Nurse education today Vol. 49; pp. 17 - 21
• Main Authors: Jun, Won-Hee, Lee, Gyungjoo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Scotland Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2017; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Ability; Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Anxiety; Anxiety - psychology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Educational Strategies; Ego; Ego-resiliency; Female; Humans; Male; Nursing; Nursing education; Nursing student; Nursing Students; Problem Solving; Problem-solving ability; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Republic of Korea; Resilience; Social anxiety; Students, Nursing - psychology; Surveys and Questionnaires; South Korea; Ego-resiliency; Problem-solving ability; Nursing student; Social anxiety
• ISSN: 0260-6917; 1532-2793
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2016.11.006

Problem-solving is a core ability that nursing students should develop during their education. There is a need to better understand the importance of problem-solving and the factors related to it among nursing students. This study aimed to identify the role of ego-resiliency in the relationship between social anxiety and problem-solving ability in Korean nursing students. Data were collected from a total of 329 nursing students who were enrolled in three nursing programs in South Korea, using a self-administrated questionnaire. Data were mainly analyzed by Baron and Kenny's three-step regression analysis and the Sobel test. Ego-resiliency played a partial mediating role in the relationship between social anxiety and problem-solving ability. Further, the Sobel test suggested a mediating effect of ego-resiliency on the relationship between social anxiety and problem-solving (Z=−9.079, p<0.001). To enhance problem-solving ability in nursing students, nursing educators should establish educational strategies that decrease social anxiety and improve ego-resiliency. •Problem-solving ability is a core competency of nurses that directly influences patients’ outcomes.•Ego-resiliency increases problem-solving ability and decreases the influence of anxiety on problems-solving ability.•The development of extracurricular programs is recommended to enhance ego-resiliency among nursing students.