Emotional Intelligence among Nursing Students: Findings from a Longitudinal Study.

Emotional intelligence is an important factor for nursing students' success and work performance. Although the level of emotional intelligence increases with age and tends to be higher in women, results of different studies on emotional intelligence in nursing students vary regarding age, study year, and gender. A longitudinal study was conducted in 2016 and 2019 among undergraduate nursing students to explore whether emotional intelligence changes over time. A total of 111 undergraduate nursing students participated in the study in the first year of their study, and 101 in the third year. Data were collected using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short Form (TEIQue-SF) and Schutte Self Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT). There was a significant difference in emotional intelligence between students in their first (M = 154.40; 95% CI: 101.85-193.05) and third year (M = 162.01; 95% CI: 118.65-196.00) of study using TEIQue-SF questionnaire. There was a weak correlation (r = 0.170) between emotional intelligence and age measuring using the TEIQue-SF questionnaire, and no significant correlation when measured using SSEIT (r = 0.34). We found that nursing students' emotional intelligence changes over time with years of education and age, suggesting that emotional intelligence skills can be improved. Further research is needed to determine the gendered nature of emotional intelligence in nursing students.

The KIDSCREEN-27 scale: translation and validation study of the Slovenian version.

BACKGROUND: There are many methods available for measuring social support and quality of life (QoL) of adolescents, of these, the KIDSCREEN tools are most widely used. Thus, we aimed to translate and validate the KIDSCREEN-27 scale for the usage among adolescents aged between 10 and 19 years old in Slovenia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2852 adolescents in primary and secondary school from November 2019 to January 2020 in Slovenia. 6-steps method of validation was used to test psychometric properties of the KIDSCREEN-27 scale. We checked descriptive statistics, performed a Mokken scale analysis, parametric item response theory, factor analysis, classical test theory and total (sub)scale scores. RESULTS: All five subscales of the KIDSCREEN-27 formed a unidimensional scale with good homogeneity and reliability. The confirmatory factor analysis showed poor fit in user model versus baseline model metrics (CFI = 0.847; TLI = 0.862) and good fit in root mean square error (RMSEA = 0.072; p(χ2) < 0.001). A scale reliability was calculated using Cronbach's α (0.93), beta (0.86), G6 (0.95) and omega (0.93). CONCLUSIONS: The questionnaire showed average psychometric properties and can be used among adolescents in Slovenia to find out about their quality of life. Further research is needed to explore why fit in user model metrics is poor.

Digital Tools in Behavior Change Support Education in Health and Other Students: A Systematic Review.

Due to the increased prevalence of chronic diseases, behavior changes are integral to self-management. Healthcare and other professionals are expected to support these behavior changes, and therefore, undergraduate students should receive up-to-date and evidence-based training in this respect. Our work aims to review the outcomes of digital tools in behavior change support education. A secondary aim was to examine existing instruments to assess the effectiveness of these tools. A PIO (population/problem, intervention, outcome) research question led our literature search. The population was limited to students in nursing, sports sciences, and pharmacy; the interventions were limited to digital teaching tools; and the outcomes consisted of knowledge, motivation, and competencies. A systematic literature review was performed in the PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Web of Science, SAGE, Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases and by backward citation searching. We used PRISMA guidelines 2020 to depict the search process for relevant literature. Two authors evaluated included studies using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) independently. Using inclusion and exclusion criteria, we included 15 studies in the final analysis: six quantitative descriptive studies, two randomized studies, six mixed methods studies, and one qualitative study. According to the MMAT, all studies were suitable for further analysis in terms of quality. The studies resorted to various digital tools to improve students' knowledge of behavior change techniques in individuals with chronic disease, leading to greater self-confidence, better cooperation, and practical experience and skills. The most common limitations that have been perceived for using these tools are time and space constraints.