An exploration of the structure of mentors' behavior in nursing education using exploratory factor analysis and Mokken scale analysis

Chen, Yanhua; Watson, Roger; Hilton, Andrea

Abstract

© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. Background: To understand nursing students' expectation from their mentors and assess mentors' performance, a scale of mentors' behavior was developed based on literature review and focus group in China. Objectives: This study aims to explore the structure of mentors' behavior. Design: A cross-sectional survey. Setting: Data were collected from nursing students in three hospitals in southwest China in 2014. Participant: A total of 669 pre-registered nursing students in their final year clinical learning participated in this study. Methods: Exploratory factor analysis and Mokken scale analysis was employed to explore the structure and hierarchical property of mentors' behavior. Results: Three dimensions (professional development, facilitating learning and psychosocial support) were identified by factor analysis and confirmed by Mokken scaling analysis. The three sub-scales showed internal consistency reliability from 87% to 91%, and moderate to strong precision in ordering students' expectation about mentors' behavior and a small Mokken scale showing hierarchy was identified. Conclusion: Some insight into the structure of mentoring in nursing education has been obtained and a scale which could be used in the study of mentoring and in the preparation of mentors has been developed.

Citation

Chen, Y., Watson, R., & Hilton, A. (2016). An exploration of the structure of mentors' behavior in nursing education using exploratory factor analysis and Mokken scale analysis. Nurse education today, 40, 161-167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2016.03.001

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 3, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Mar 10, 2016
• Publication Date: May 1, 2016
• Deposit Date: Mar 16, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 16, 2016
• Journal: Nurse education today
• Print ISSN: 0260-6917
• Electronic ISSN: 1532-2793
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 40
• Pages: 161-167
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2016.03.001
• Keywords: Nursing education, Mentor, Behaviour
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/433762
• Publisher URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0260691716000988
• Additional Information: This article is maintained by: Elsevier; Article Title: An exploration of the structure of mentors' behavior in nursing education using exploratory factor analysis and Mokken scale analysis; Journal Title: Nurse Education Today; CrossRef DOI link to publisher maintained version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2016.03.001; Content Type: article; Copyright: © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.