The effect of ARCS motivational model-based education on nursing students’ communication skills, learning motivation, and self-efficacy: a mixed-methods randomized controlled intervention study

BACKGROUND: Effective communication, motivation, and self-efficacy are essential competencies for nursing students to deliver high-quality patient care. Educational strategies grounded in motivational theory, such as the ARCS model, may enhance these outcomes. This study aimed to examine the effects of an education program based on the ARCS motivational model on nursing students’ communication skills, learning motivation, and academic self-efficacy. METHODS: A mixed-method randomized controlled trial was conducted with sixty-four first-year nursing students randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 34), which received six hours of ARCS-based communication training, or a control group (n = 34), which received standard instruction. Quantitative data were collected pre- and post-intervention using validated instruments measuring communication skills, learning motivation, and academic self-efficacy. Qualitative data were obtained from reflective journals written by the experimental group and analyzed through inductive descriptive content analysis. RESULTS: The experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in ego-supportive language, active listening, and empathy (p < 0.05), whereas no significant change was observed in the I-language subscale. Only the experimental group showed significant increases in learning motivation and academic self-efficacy (p < 0.05), while the control group remained stable. Qualitative findings generated three overarching themes—Transformation in Communication, Motivation through ARCS, and Internalization and Development—which supported the quantitative results and illustrated enhanced emotional empathy, perceived relevance, and satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: Education based on the ARCS motivational model significantly improved nursing students’ communication skills, motivation, and self-efficacy. While affective and participatory competencies developed substantially, cognitive-reflective components may require extended or repeated interventions. The ARCS framework offers a robust pedagogical approach to fostering learner engagement and readiness in nursing education. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT07004205 Registration date: 12.05.2025).