Abstract:

Objective To explore the mediating effect of self-control between the clinical learning environment and academic procrastination among master of nursing specialist（MNS） postgraduates. Methods A convenient sampling method was adopted. From January to March 2025，a survey was conducted among MNS postgraduates who were in the clinical practice stage and came from four universities in Sichuan Province. The general information questionnaire，the Clinical Learning Environment Evaluation Scale for Master of Nursing Specialist Postgraduates，the Short Self-Control Scale，and the Academic Procrastination Questionnaire for Graduate Students were employed for assessment. Results A total of 215 valid questionnaires were retrieved. The scores of clinical learning environment，self-control，and academic procrastination of the 215 MNS postgraduates were（129.80±23.06），（25.60±4.62），and（12.23±3.94） points，respectively. The academic procrastination score was negatively correlated with the scores of self-control（r=-0.411，P<0.001） and clinical learning environment（r=-0.323，P<0.001），while the clinical learning environment score was positively correlated with the self-control score（r=0.570，P<0.001）. Self-control played a complete mediating role between the clinical learning environment and academic procrastination of MNS postgraduates，with a mediating effect value of -0.328（95%CI：-0.525~-0.168，P=0.005）. Conclusion The clinical learning environment influences the academic procrastination behavior of MNS postgraduates by influencing their self-control. Educational institutions can reduce the academic procrastination behavior of MNS postgraduates during the clinical practice stage by optimizing the clinical learning environment and helping MNS postgraduates improve their self-control level.

Key words: Master of Nursing Specialist Postgraduates, Clinical Learning Environment, Self-control, Academic Procrastination, Mediating Effect, Structural Equation Modeling