Changes of ego identity and psychosocial maturity in nursing students: A longitudinal study

Pathways from the clinical learning environment and ego identity to professional identity: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

The clinical learning environment and ego identity are positively related to professional identity. However, the pathways from these factors to professional identity are unknown. Aim This study explores the pathways from the clinical learning environment and ego identity to professional identity.

METHODS

The study used a convenience sampling method in a comprehensive hospital in Hunan Province, China to enrol 222 nursing interns between April and May 2021. General information questionnaires and scales with good psychometric properties (e.g., Environment Evaluation Scale for Clinical Nursing Internship, Ego Identity Scale, and Professional Identification Scale) were used to collect data. A structural equation model was used to explore the relationships between the clinical learning environment, ego identity, and professional identity among nursing interns.

RESULTS

The professional identity of nursing interns was positively correlated with the clinical learning environment and ego identity. The clinical learning environment had a direct effect (Effect = -0.052, P < 0.05) and an indirect effect through ego identity (Effect = -0.042, P < 0.05) on nursing interns' professional identity.

CONCLUSION

The clinical learning environment and ego identity are important influencing factors of professional identity among nursing interns. Therefore, clinical teaching hospitals and teachers should pay attention to the improvement in the clinical learning environment and the cultivation of nursing interns' ego identity.

Predicting Ego Integrity Using Prior Ego Development Stages for Older Adults in the Community

Background: Erikson’s ego development theory is the most accepted theory that involves eight stages of psychosocial development over an individual`s all lifespan. The result of development in prior stages will influence the later stages. The elderly were mainly characterized by the central developmental tasks: achieving ego integrity vs. despair. The harvest in the last stage will be related to the attitude of facing death in the elderly. Methods: A cross-sectional study of elderly age from 65 to 90 years old (n = 292) was carried out and investigated via the Inventory of Psychosocial Balance. Pearson correlation and path analysis were performed in order to analyze the direct and indirect effect among the first seven stages with the eighth stage. Results: We found that all the eight stages were significantly related to each other, and comparing to the previous seven stages, “the generativity stage” (r = 0.77) was the most relevant stage with “ego integrity”. In all indirect and direct effects, the seventh stage had the greatest impact on the “ego integrity stage”; the direct effect was 0.89. Conclusions: Compared to the whole lifespan, adulthood possessed a higher influence on the elderly stage. We found that all the eight stages were significantly related to each other, and comparing the first seven stages, the “generativity stage” (r = 0.77) was the most relevant stage to “ego integrity”. Conclusions: Compared to the whole lifespan, adulthood possessed a higher influence on the elderly stage.