Mood states and academic performance in the objective structured clinical examination. The mediating effect of self-efficacy

Abstract

BackgroundThe role of self-efficacy on academic outcomes in clinical simulation evaluations is well-known. However, no previous studies have reported the mediating effect of self-efficacy in the link between mood state and academic performance in the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE). ObjectivesThis study explores the following aims: i) to determine the effects of mood states on academic performance; ii) to assess the effect of mood states on self-efficacy; and iii) to analyze whether self-efficacy mediates the relationship between mood state and academic performance in the OSCE. DesignThis quantitative and cross-sectional study received Institutional Review Board approval. SettingsA private university in Santiago, Chile. ParticipantsA convenience sample of 117 nursing students from fourth and sixth semester. MethodsData were collected using two questionnaires (the short version of the Profile of Mood State, and the General Self-Efficacy Scale), and the objective structured clinical examination in adult medical-surgical nursing and pediatric nursing courses. ResultsMood state has a significant effect on self-efficacy β = −0.068 p = .001. There was, however, no significant relationship between mood and academic performance (= − 0.004 p = .114). Similarly, Sobel's test indicated a non-significant mediation effect for self-efficacy-0.000544; 95 %; CI (−0.00256, 0.00148) p = .597. ConclusionsThe results of this study improve the understanding of students' self-efficacy and academic performance. Further investigation regarding the use of the self-efficacy construct as a mediating variable in different high-stakes evaluations and in students with varying training levels is needed.