Self-Efficacy and Professional Identity Among Freshmen Nursing Students: A Latent Profile and Moderated Mediation Analysis

This study was designed to estimate the associations between self-efficacy and professional identity. A total of 1,051 freshmen nursing students (FNSs) from the Be Resilient to Nursing Career (BRNC) program were recruited from four universities between September and November 2020. A latent profile and moderated meditation analysis were performed. Four profiles of self-efficacy were identified and named as Lowest (15.6%), Med-low (45.0%), Med-high (32.7%), and Highest (6.7%). The mediating role of resilience and the moderating effect of role models were also identified. Therefore, self-efficacy, resilience, and role models may be three important factors to professional identity in FNSs and these relationships should be further validated in longitudinal or interventional studies.