ABSTRACT
Background: Boosting the individual learning passion of medical students is a novel approach to improve their academic performance. It facilitates the medical education reform, motivating both policymakers and educators to focus on the function of positive psychology in the career development of medical students. Therefore, this study aimed (1) to assess the status of two types of learning passion; (2) to clarify the relationship between self-esteem and two types of learning passion among Chinese medical students; (3) to examine the mediating role of psychological capital (PsyCap) in the relationship between self-esteem and two types of learning passion, respectively; and (4) to identify the moderating role of professional identity in the relationship between PsyCap and two types of learning passion, respectively. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from April to June 2016 in China. A total of 1,218 valid questionnaires (effective completion rate: 67.93%) were collected from four medical schools. Results: Self-esteem significantly and positively influenced medical students' PsyCap (ß = 0.637, P < 0.01) and two types of learning passion, including harmonious learning passion (ß = 0.589, P < 0.01) and obsessive learning passion (ß = 0.436, P < 0.01). PsyCap fully mediated the relationship (ß = 0.578, P < 0.01) between self-esteem and harmonious learning passion positively, whereas it suppressed the relationship (ß = 0.490, P < 0.01) between self-esteem and obsessive learning passion. Further, professional identity significantly moderated the correlation between PsyCap and harmonious learning passion (ß = -0.554, P < 0.05), rather than obsessive learning passion (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Two types of learning passion of medical students are positively influenced by self-esteem and PsyCap. Medical students with high-level self-esteem should possess strong PsyCap, which augments their harmonious as well as obsessive learning passion. Moreover, the positive effect of medical students' PsyCap on harmonious learning passion is more notable among those with a lower professional identity. Finally, this study argues that strengths-based interventions of self-esteem and PsyCap are a beneficial approach for future enhancing learning passion in the domain of medical education.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To compare the EuroQol-5D-3L (EQ-5D-3L) and the Short Form-6D (SF-6D) utility scores in family caregivers (FCs) of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Method: This study was performed on FCs of CRC patients from three primary cancer centers in the capital city of the Heilongjiang province. The participants (FCs) who were enrolled, filled the EQ-5D-3L, along with the SF-6D questionnaire. Two tools were compared for their distribution, discriminant validity, agreement, and convergent validity along with known-groups validity. Result: Two hundred ninety-two FCs of CRC patients were enrolled. The score distribution of the SF-6D along with the EQ-5D-3L were not normal. A ceiling impact was seen in 31.8% of the FCs for EQ-5D-3L; however, none for the SF-6D. Good associations (Spearman's rho = 0.622, p < 0.01) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC 0.637 and average ICC 0.778) between the two scores were observed. The EQ-5D-3L yielded higher utility scores in contrast with the SF-6D in the better health subclass. The SF-6D distinguished better between excellent and good health statuses, with better effect size and relative efficiency statistics. Both tools showed good known-groups validity. Conclusion: The utility scores of SF-6D were remarkably lower relative to that of the EQ-5D-3L, but the difference may be clinically insignificant. However, the SF-6D may be superior because of the lack of ceiling impact. SF-6D exhibited a better convergent validity along with discrimination validity of excellent health condition and improved known-groups validity efficiency.
