The role of psychological capital as a mediator in the relationship between school belonging and professional commitment among undergraduate nursing students

Objective: This study investigated the relationships among school belonging, psychological capital and professional commitment among nursing undergraduates, and further assessed the mediating role of psychological capital in the link between school belonging and professional commitment. Methods: A total of 301 nursing undergraduates from two universities in Hubei Province, China, participated in this cross-sectional investigation. Validated questionnaires were used to measure psychological capital, school belonging, and professional commitment. Data analysis involved Pearson correlation coefficients and mediation analyses conducted via PROCESS Model 4. Results: Findings revealed positive correlations of psychological capital and school belonging with professional commitment, and school belonging was positively associated with psychological capital. Additionally, psychological capital was found to partially mediate the relationship between school belonging and professional commitment. Conclusion: The findings suggest that improving students' perceptions of belonging to their institution and enhancing their psychological capital could contribute to increased professional commitment among nursing undergraduates. Future longitudinal research is encouraged to verify the directionality of these relationships.