title: Sense of coherence, self-regulated learning and academic performance in first year nursing students: A cluster analysis approach.
abstract: This paper examines the relationship between nursing students' sense of coherence, self-regulated learning and academic performance in bioscience. While there is increasing recognition of a need to foster students' self-regulated learning, little is known about the relationship of psychological strengths, particularly sense of coherence and academic performance. Using a prospective, correlational design, 563 first year nursing students completed the three dimensions of sense of coherence scale - comprehensibility, manageability and meaningfulness, and five components of self-regulated learning strategy - elaboration, organisation, rehearsal, self-efficacy and task value. Cluster analysis was used to group respondents into three clusters, based on their sense of coherence subscale scores. Although there were no sociodemographic differences in sense of coherence subscale scores, those with higher sense of coherence were more likely to adopt self-regulated learning strategies. Furthermore, academic grades collected at the end of semester revealed that higher sense of coherence was consistently related to achieving higher academic grades across all four units of study. Students with higher sense of coherence were more self-regulated in their learning approach. More importantly, the study suggests that sense of coherence may be an explanatory factor for students' successful adaptation and transition in higher education, as indicated by the positive relationship of sense of coherence to academic performance.
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: y.salamonson@uws.edu.au.
authors.forename: Yenna
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Salamonson
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: l.ramjan@uws.edu.au.
authors.forename: Lucie M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ramjan
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: S.VanDenNieuwenhuizen@uws.edu.au.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: van den Nieuwenhuizen
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia. Electronic address: l.metcalfe@uws.edu.au.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Metcalfe
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing and Midwifery & Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Technology Sydney, Faculty of Health, Level 7, Building 10, City Campus, PO Box 123, Broadway, NSW 2007, Australia. Electronic address: Sungwon.Chang@uts.edu.au.
authors.forename: Sungwon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: University of Western Sydney, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia; University of Western Sydney, South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD), Locked Bag 7103, Liverpool BC, NSW 1871, Australia. Electronic address: bronwyn.everett@sswahs.nsw.gov.au.
authors.forename: Bronwyn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Everett
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001690:Biological Science Disciplines / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020377:Self Efficacy; D060685:Sense of Coherence; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Academic performance; Cluster analysis; Learning strategies; Self-regulated learning; Sense of coherence; Survey design