Factors influencing self-regulated learning ability among Medical undergraduates in China: a cross-sectional study

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is the core purpose of lifelong learning and the precondition for medical staff to continuously adapt to and excel in their current and future positions. Good SRL abilities positively impact the academic performance and clinical skills of medical students. Despite its importance, the factors influencing SRL among medical students in China remain under-explored. This study investigates these factors among Chinese medical undergraduates.

This cross-sectional survey was conducted among a convenience sample of undergraduate students at all four medical universities in Guangxi, using a questionnaire developed and tailored by Zude Zhu. Responses from 2,179 Chinese medical undergraduate students were included in the analyses. The data were collected using the College Student SRL Questionnaire which consisted of 69 items rated on a 6-point Likert scale, ranging from 1 (very inconsistent) to 6 (very consistent), and scored by calculating the mean and standard deviation. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences, version 22.0 (IBM SPSS Corp).

Univariate analysis showed that registered residence, specialty, educational system, parental educational background, parenting style, annual household income, parental occupation, grade point average (GPA), engagement in SRL activities, and participation in SRL training were significantly associated with SRL scores (p < 0.05 for all). The results of the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that educational system ("5 + 3"-year) (p < 0.001; 95% Confidence Interval (CI), 9.842 to 15.686), mother's occupation (staff of government agency/institution) (p < 0.001; 95% CI, - 3.798 to - 2.081), GPA (p < 0.001; 95% CI, - 10.009 to - 5.712), engagement in SRL activities (p = 0.001; 95% CI, - 11.903 to - 3.162), and participation in SRL training (p < 0.001; 95% CI, - 15.966 to - 9.972) were positively related to SRL abilities in medical students.

Further studies are necessary to identify additional external (e.g., academic environment, parents' expectations for their children) and internal factors (e.g., student cadres or not, interest in medicine or not, whether there is a clear career planning) affecting SRL abilities. Initiating relevant training early in the college career could enhance SRL capabilities in medical students.