Factors influencing positive psychological capital of dental hygiene students

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to explore ways to improve the level of positive psychological capital of dental hygiene students. After comparing the levels of positive psychological capital, social support, and emotional regulation ability of dental hygiene students and identifying correlations, the sub-factors of social support and emotional regulation ability that affect positive psychological capital were identified. Methods: A survey of 70 questions was conducted targeting 310 dental hygiene students in Gyeonggi-do and Chungcheong-do. The results were subjected to exploratory factor analysis, frequency analysis, t-test, oneway ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis using the PASW statistics 18.0 program. Results: The level of positive psychological capital was high when students had high grades and perceived positive relationships with professors and peers (p<0.001). Factors highly correlated with positive psychological capital include ‘self-emotional regulation ability’ among ‘emotion regulation abilities’ (r=0.665, p<0.001), and ‘emotional support related to daily life’ recognized ‘social support’ (r=0.635, p<0.001), followed by ‘social support’ (r=0.602, p<0.001). Factors affecting positive psychological capital include ‘self-emotion recognized ability’ (β=0.377, p<0.001), ‘quality of professor relationship’ (β=0.201, p<0.001), and ‘emotion control ability’. Among ‘social support’, ‘emotional support related to daily life’ (β=0.201, p=0.003) and ‘grades’ (β=0.159, p<0.001), and among ‘social support’, ‘social-related support’ (β=0.149, p=0.016), followed by ‘grade’ (β=0.076, p=0.043) were identified. Conclusions: To improve the positive psychological capital of dental hygiene students, efforts should be made to improve self-emotion regulation ability, professor relationships, emotional support related to daily life, and social support.