Abstract
Background
The professional identity is a fundamental factor influencing the career choices and future growth of undergraduate nursing students. The degree of professional identity is directly related to job stability and the operational effectiveness of healthcare systems. The total professional identity of undergraduate nursing students in China is currently moderate, indicating potential for enhancement. Current research has tentatively established a correlation between self-transcendence and professional identity, while learning engagement and career self-efficacy are also associated with both.
Problem
Current research has not yet clarified the mechanism of self-transcendence on the professional identity of undergraduate nursing students. Especially, the mediating role of learning engagement and the moderating role of career self-efficacy remain unclear.
Objective
The study aimed to explore the influence of self-transcendence on the formation of professional identity in undergraduate nursing students, and identified the mediating function of learning engagement and the moderating effect of career self-efficacy. Meanwhile, the study also tried to reveal the fundamental mechanisms of the interaction among these variables.
Methods
A cross-sectional design was employed. The research involved 447 full-time undergraduate nursing students recruited from Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, China. The instruments employed in this research comprised the Self-Transcendence Scale (STS), the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES-S), the Career Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES), and the Professional Identity for Nursing Students Scale (PISNS). The SPSS PROCESS macro was utilized to evaluate the proposed mediation and moderated mediation effects.
Results
Self-transcendence exhibited a substantial positive influence on the development of professional identity among undergraduate nursing students. Meanwhile, the association between self-transcendence and professional identity was partially elucidated through the mediating role of learning engagement among undergraduate nursing students. Furthermore, career self-efficacy moderated the initial segment of the mediation model. The influence of self-transcendence on learning engagement diminished as career self-efficacy increased.
Conclusion
The findings offer insights into the intrinsic relationship between self-transcendence and professional identity in undergraduate nursing students. The beneficial impact of self-transcendence on professional identity was mediated by learning engagement, with elevated career self-efficacy diminishing this indirect relationship.
Supplementary Information
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40359-026-04630-2.
Keywords: Undergraduate nursing students, Self-transcendence, Career self-efficacy, Learning engagement, Professional identity
Introduction
Professional identity is a psychological developmental process. Through this process, individuals establish an emotional connection with their work through the internal value assessment based on the responsibilities assigned by society. [1] The professional identity of nurses encompasses their perceptions, emotions, and convictions regarding the nursing profession. It directly influences their job engagement, professional efficacy, and propensity for career advancement. [2] Professional identity encompasses individuals’ ongoing process of meaning-making. Social professional roles are integrated as fundamental components of self-identity. Research has shown that the formation of professional identity in nursing students is influenced by a complex interaction of factors, including personal traits, educational experiences, and socio-environmental contexts. [3] Professional identity is negatively associated with nurses’ turnover intention. [4] Higher turnover intention exerts multifaceted adverse effects on patient safety, nursing teams, and the overall healthcare system.
In recent years, the number of studies on the professional identity of undergraduate nursing students has increased. However, the mechanisms influencing its development have not yet been thoroughly studied. Empirical evidence indicates that the professional identity of undergraduate nursing students currently reaches a moderate level of development. [5,6] This means there is still much room for improvement and refinement in their professional cognition system. Undergraduate nursing students serve as the essential talent pipeline for future clinical nursing teams, and exhibit progressively developing patterns in their professional identity development. [7] The development of this professional cognition system is inherently connected to individuals’ professional socialization. It influences their career paths and plays a vital role in advancing the nursing discipline and improving healthcare quality. Notably, global public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic have markedly enhanced societal awareness of nurses’ essential contributions to healthcare systems. [8] Given the current developmental stage and the professional importance of nursing students’ professional identity, a comprehensive investigation of its influencing factors is necessary. Based on this, the present study explores the effect of self-transcendence on the professional identity of undergraduate nursing students, as well as the mediating and moderating roles of learning engagement and career self-efficacy in this relationship.
Literature review and hypothesis establishment
Self-transcendence of undergraduate nursing students
The theoretical concept of self-transcendence was initially formulated by Reed. [9] The concept constitutes a dynamic developmental process. Without negating their existing self-concept, individuals achieve continual self-breakthroughs and attain elevated existential states through multidimensional growth and cognitive reconstruction. [10] This process is fundamentally driven by individuals’ intrinsic spiritual motivation. [11] The core internal path of Reed’s theory of self-transcendence in nursing is that individuals extend their self-boundaries through introspection, self-reflection, and clarification of values. [12] Through self-reflection, people recognize their career aligns with their personal values. Then their sense of professional identity and belonging will naturally be strengthened. Research indicated that self-transcendence was significantly positively correlated with long-term career progression development. [13] Also, self-transcendence is seen as a key psychological resource for relieving occupational stress and enhancing professional identity. [14,15] Thus, self-transcendence may influence students’ professional identity.
Learning engagement as a potential mediator
Learning engagement is a systematic psychological state characterized by students’ continuous and active involvement in educational settings. [16] Learning engagement manifests through three interrelated dimensions: behavioral (observable participation), emotional (affective involvement), and cognitive (mental investment) components. [17] Behavioral engagement refers to students actively participating in learning activities, demonstrating high levels of concentration and engagement. [17] Emotional engagement is manifested as positive emotional responses generated by students during the learning process. Cognitive engagement belongs to the self-regulated learning approach. [18] The Theory of Care Science posits that personal growth and development can be promoted by the comprehensive relationship between individuals and their surroundings and by interpersonal interactions. [19] Nursing students exhibiting high self-transcendence are likely to be more proactive in converting professional skills into personal learning motivation driven by intrinsic factors. In this process, they will place more emphasis on the cultivation of humanistic qualities and the profound meaning of their profession. Positive emotional experiences can greatly improve an individual’s perception of the value of learning, leading to the development of continuous learning activities. Prior research has established that the self-transcendence of clinical nurses positively influences their work engagement. [20] This further confirms the practical significance of the Caring Science Theory in the field of nursing education and career development. However, there is a lack of studies on the learning engagement of undergraduate nursing students. Therefore, we hypothesize that there may be a correlation between self-transcendence and the learning engagement of undergraduate nursing students.
Learning engagement is an important facilitator of professional identity development. [21] The Professional Socialization Model posits that the foundation of professional identity is the process of internalizing professional values and adjusting to professional roles. [22] Active learning is at the core of this process and an important aspect of nursing practice, which helps cultivate nurses’ professional identity and professional spirit. [23] Individuals actively consider the social significance and responsibility boundaries of their majors through diverse learning behaviors and experiences. They can also actively convert external professional value standards into internal beliefs. This will enable them to have a deeper understanding of the core values inherent in their profession. Nursing students, through the process of professional socialization, can acquire the essential commitment and values associated by engaging with problem-solving and critical-thinking practices like a “nurse”. [24] An increasing number of studies have shown that learning engagement is a positive predictor of nursing students’ professional identity. [25,26] The learning engagement of undergraduate nursing students involves active participation in professional theoretical knowledge, clinical learning, and nursing practice operations. The degree of engagement is related to their perception and emotions towards the nursing profession. [27] For instance, the latest research indicates that the active exploration and reflection of undergraduate nursing students in their studies are more effective in strengthening their recognition of the professional value than the passive receptive learning approach. [28] It highlights the core teaching and practical value of learning engagement in the cultivation of professional identity among undergraduate nursing students. Therefore, we assume the learning engagement of undergraduate nursing students may positively affect their professional identity.
The study assumed that learning engagement functions as a potential mediator in the relationship between self-transcendence and professional identity. Individuals with a higher degree of self-transcendence typically demonstrate a well-defined self-concept and a favorable self-assessment of self-worth. It may predict a greater level of involvement in learning activities. When individuals with a deep understanding of the importance of learning activate intrinsic motivation for learning, this will promote the development of professional identity. Consequently, although there were established links between self-transcendence and professional identity, no previous research has examined learning engagement as a potential mediating factor in this relationship.
Career self-efficacy as a potential moderator
Career self-efficacy is the core of Bandura’s self-efficacy theory within the context of the professional domain. Self-efficacy denotes an individual’s personal subjective assessment of their capability to successfully execute a certain job. [29] Career self-efficacy describes an individual’s psychological engagement in the behaviors, training and cognitive processes related to a specific occupation. [30] It also includes their enthusiasm and confidence in this occupational role. Empirical research has indicated that career self-efficacy affects academic performance, vocational interests and professional adaptation. [31] Individuals possessing higher levels of career self-efficacy exhibit greater competence and more robust beliefs. This may foster the development of increased motivation for learning. Nevertheless, increased levels of career self-efficacy do not invariably enhance learning engagement and may. In specific situations, it may have detrimental effects. [32] This means that excessively high self-efficacy may prevent individuals from adopting adaptive behaviors when facing challenges. When career self-efficacy is above a specific threshold, it may negatively impact persons’ cognitive demands and cognitive effort. [33] This effect may arise from individual variations in stress coping strategies, the evolving nature of professional ideals, personal emotional states, and different external influences. This condition may result in overconfidence. It also prevents self-transcendent learning motivations or goals from being converted into tangible learning engagement via resource mobilization. [34, 35] Consequently, individuals may form biased self-assessments in career decision-making, leading to suboptimal career choices that do not align with their intrinsic interests, personal characteristics, and competencies. The indirect impacts of self-transcendence on professional identity and the potential moderation of these effects by career self-efficacy remain unexamined. The current study seeks to fill this gap in the previous study.
Methods
Design
Using a cross-sectional approach, the research collected data through standardized self-reported questionnaires. The study was carried out following the acquisition of informed consent from the participants. The study sought to investigate the underlying mechanisms between self-transcendence and professional identity among undergraduate nursing students (H1- H3):
H1 (Hypothesis #1): Self-transcendence positively enhances professional identity development in undergraduate nursing students.
H2 (Hypothesis #2): The associations between self-transcendence and professional identity are mediated by learning engagement.
H3 (Hypothesis #3): Career self-efficacy moderates the effect of self-transcendence on learning engagement among undergraduate nursing students.
Although we have partially confirmed the above relationships, a deeper theoretical and empirical examination of the underlying psychological mechanisms is necessary. The research emphasis is on elucidating the internal mechanisms, specifically examining the mediating role of learning engagement and the moderating effects of career self-efficacy.
The hypothesized relationships were demonstrated in Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Mediate and moderate effects in the proposed conceptual model. A Mediation Model. The study hypothesizes that self-transcendence positively influences both learning engagement and professional identity, and learning engagement positively affects professional identity, too. Meanwhile, the study examines whether learning engagement functions as a mediating variable between self-transcendence and professional identity.B Moderated Mediation Model. The study hypothesizes that learning engagement mediates the relationship between self-transcendence and learning engagement formation among nursing students. Both models used significant general information, including grade and volunteer reallocation as covariates
Estimation of sample size
A priori power analysis was conducted using G*Power(Version 3.1). [36] Based on a linear multiple regression with 12 predictors, a medium effect size (f2 = 0.15), α = 0.05, and power (1-β) = 0.92, the required minimum sample size in this study was supposed to be 184 participants.
Participants
The participants were full-time undergraduate nursing students studying in the Wuhan area. The study utilized a convenience sampling method for recruitment between December 2024 and February 2025. The questionnaire received full disclosure of research aims and methods in the preamble, with data collection after obtaining the informed consent of the participants. The research questionnaire was distributed, and the research data were collected electronically by Wenjuanxing (Questionnaire Star).
Participants were required to choose the most appropriate option based on their circumstances. From the initial collection of 489 questionnaires, 42 were excluded during quality screening for incompleteness or inconsistent responses, yielding 447 valid questionnaires and an effective response rate of 91.41%.
The inclusion criteria required participants to be full-time undergraduate nursing students studying in Wuhan, Hubei. The research team implemented rigorous data quality controls, excluding the following data elements: (1) systematic responses, (2) completion time < 60 s, and (3) logically contradictory answers.
Measures
Survey data were collected digitally using Wenjuanxing’s (Question Star) specialized questionnaire platform. The questionnaire comprised demographic items and measures assessing self-transcendence, learning engagement, career self-efficacy, and professional identity among nursing undergraduates.
General demographic characteristics
The demographic section systematically captured eight essential characteristics of undergraduate nursing students: age, gender, geographical origin, grade, current internship status, student leadership experience, only one child or not, and whether their specialty selection was influenced by admission adjustment.
The self-transcendence scale (STS)
The Self-Transcendence Scale was originally developed by Reed [9] and subsequently modified for the Chinese population by Zhang. [37] This scale is a unidimensional instrument comprising 15 items evaluated through a 4-point Likert scale, from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (4), with higher scores reflecting greater self-transcendence. The Cronbach’s α for the scale is 0.877.
The utrecht work engagement scale (UWES-S)
The Learning Engagement Scale, originally developed by Schauffei [38] and subsequently revised by Li [39] for Chinese university students, was employed to measure the level of learning engagement among undergraduate nursing students. The scale has 17 items and 3 dimensions, including motivation, energy and concentration. Items are rated on a 7-point Likert scale ranging from never (1) to always (7). A higher score indicates better learning engagement of undergraduate nursing students. The total scale has a Cronbach’s α of 0.919.
The career self-efficacy scale (CSES)
The Career Self-Efficacy Scale was initially created by Li [40] to assess the career self-efficacy of undergraduate students. This study utilized the instrument revised by Yan specifically for Chinese undergraduates, adapted to the cultural setting and background of Chinese nursing students. [41] The scale includes 13 items. Participants respond to items using a standard 5-point Likert scale, where 1 represents strong disagreement and 5 indicates strong agreement. A higher score corresponds to an increased level of career self-efficacy. The split-half reliability coefficient for the full scale was 0.729.
The professional identity for nursing students scale (PISNS)
The Nursing Student Career Identity Scale, devised by Hao’s research team, is designed specifically for Chinese nursing students. [42] The measure is composed of 17 items and clustered into five dimensions: professional self-concept (6 items), retention benefits and turnover risks (4 items), social comparison and self-reflection (3 items), professional autonomy (2 items), and social persuasion (2 items). The scale utilizes a 5-point Likert-type response format, ranging from strongly disagree (1) to strongly agree (5), with higher total scores signifying a stronger professional identity of nursing students.
Data analysis
Statistical analyses were conducted with SPSS 29.0. Since all the questionnaires collected data through self-evaluation by the participants, there may be a problem of common method bias. [43] The study conducted Harman’s single-factor test and confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate potential common method bias.
First of all, all questionnaires should be preprocessed and standardized before the formal data processing begins to guarantee the reliability of the research results. The data were standardized before statistical analysis. Then, the study was performed with descriptive statistical and correlational analyses on standardized data. Ultimately, moderated mediation analyses were conducted utilizing Hayes’ PROCESS macro within SPSS [44].
Following the standardization of all continuous variables, the mediating influence of the mediator variable (undergraduate nursing students’ learning engagement) between the independent variable (self-transcendence) and the dependent variable (professional identity) was examined using PROCESS Model 4 in SPSS.
The Bootstrap method was employed to establish a 95% confidence interval, utilizing 5,000 resamples to validate the moderated mediation model. The alpha level for significance was set at 0.05. Additionally, career self-efficacy was included as a moderating variable in the Model 7 analysis framework of the PROCESS macro to assess its moderating effect. This study performed a detailed analysis using simple slope analysis to further explore how the independent variable (self-transcendence) interacts with the moderating variable (career self-efficacy). The independent variable (self-transcendence) was categorized into high and low groups based on the mean ± 1 standard deviation grouping method (M + 1SD and M − 1SD).
Our team conducted systematic examinations of both mediation and moderation effects using the analytical protocol described.
Results
Common method bias test
The common method bias assessment indicated the emergence of seven factors featuring eigenvalues exceeding 1, where the initial factor explained 41.12% of the variance. This outcome fell short of the critical 50% threshold. [45] This finding indicated that the problem of common method bias didn’t greatly impact the study’s results.
The study also performed confirmatory factor analysis, taking into account the insensitivity of Harman’s single-factor test approach. [46] The outcomes of the single-factor confirmatory factor analysis indicated CFI = 0.547, GFI = 0.285, AGFI = 0.237, TLI = 0.531, NFI = 0.511, RMSEA = 0.118, and SRMR = 0.116. Furthermore, we assessed the model’s fit before and after incorporating the common method bias, and the outcome was ΔCFI = 0.038, ΔGFI = 0.073, ΔAGFI = 0.067, ΔTLI = 0.034, ΔNFI = 0.037, ΔRMSEA = 0.006, and ΔSRMR = 0.038. This suggested that this deviation cannot account for the primary source of covariation among latent variables.
In conclusion, the study did not exhibit a discernible common method bias issue.
Preliminary analysis
Table 1 presented the demographic factors that exhibit statistically significant influences on professional identity. The detailed demographic characteristics of undergraduate nursing students were as below: among 447 undergraduate nursing students, males (n = 88) and females (n = 359); age distribution of 18 (n = 122), 19 (n = 105), 20 (n = 71), 22 (n = 42), 23 (n = 5), and 24 years (n = 3); rural origin (n = 248), versus urban (n = 199); freshmen (n = 171), sophomores (n = 90), juniors (n = 64), and seniors (n = 122); currently in clinical internship (n = 126); program choice was through admission adjustment (n = 150); with student leadership experience (n = 154).
Table 1.
General demographic characteristics of undergraduate nursing students(n = 447, ‾x ± s, Points)
| Item | Number (%) | Total points of PISNS | Statistic | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | F = 3.287 | 0.021 | ||
| First grade | 171 (38.3) | 60.03 ± 10.73 | ||
| Second grade | 90 (20.1) | 64.43 ± 11.96 | ||
| Third grade | 64 (14.3) | 61.19 ± 12.29 | ||
| Fourth grade | 122 (27.3) | 61.16 ± 9.21 | ||
| Volunteer reallocation | t=-2.031 | 0.021 | ||
| Yes | 150 (33.6) | 59.92 ± 11.52 | ||
| No | 297 (66.4) | 62.13 ± 10.55 |
PISNS the Professional Identity for Nursing Students Scale
Just items with statistical significance are shown, P < 0.05
A comparative analysis of professional identity scores was performed among undergraduate nursing student groups with different backgrounds. Categorical variables were analyzed using independent samples t-tests, and ordinal data were examined through one-way ANOVA. The result revealed statistically significant differences in professional identity scores among undergraduate nursing students, contingent upon their grade and the method of program selection via admission adjustment (Table 1).
Table 1 shows that the grade level and volunteer choice of whether or not to transfer are statistically significant in the professional identity of undergraduate nursing students.
Correlation analysis
The means, standard deviations, and correlations of primary variables were shown in Table 2. Analyses revealed that self-transcendence, career self-efficacy, and learning engagement were positively correlated with professional identity.
Table 2.
Pearson correlations, mean, and standard deviations of study variables
| Variable | Self-transcendence | Professional identity | Learning engagement | Career self-efficacy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-transcendence | 1 | |||
| Professional identity | 0.557** | 1 | ||
| Learning engagement | 0.597** | 0.636** | 1 | |
| Career self-efficacy | 0.111* | 0.209** | 0.133** | 1 |
| ‾x | 47.45 | 61.39 | 79.51 | 44.89 |
| SD | 7.35 | 10.93 | 16.00 | 6.39 |
*P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001
Mediation analysis
To assess the influence of self-transcendence on professional identity via learning engagement. Bootstrap analysis demonstrated that the 95% confidence intervals for all routes exclude zero, showing statistically significant effects (P < 0.001) in evaluating the impact of self-transcendence on professional identity through learning engagement. Self-transcendence was found to positively predict the professional identity of undergraduate nursing students, supporting H1 (Hypothesis #1). Following the inclusion of learning engagement in the regression equation, the positive predictive effect of self-transcendence on professional identity remained significant (β = 0.278, P < 0.001). Self-transcendence was found to positively predict learning engagement (β = 0.597, P < 0.001), while learning engagement positively predicted professional identity (β = 0.463, P < 0.001). The mediation effect of learning engagement was 0.276, accounting for 49.82% of the total effect (SE = 0.04, 95%CI[0.20, 0.36], P < 0.001). This indicated that learning engagement serves as a partial mediator in the relationship between self-transcendence and professional identity of undergraduate nursing students, confirming H2 (Hypothesis #2). (Table 3; Fig. 2).
Table 3.
The mediation effect of learning engagement between self-transcendence and professional identity (n=447)
| Effect types | β | SE | LLCI | ULCI | Effect proportion (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct effect | 0.278 | 0.04 | 0.19 | 0.36 | 50.18 |
| Indirect effect | 0.276 | 0.04 | 0.20 | 0.36 | 49.82 |
| Total effect | 0.554 | 0.04 | 0.48 | 0.63 |
SE Standard error, LLCI the lower limit confidence interval, ULCI the upper limit confidence interval
P < 0.001. β is the standardized regression coefficient
Fig. 2.
Mediation of learning engagement: between self-transcendence and professional identity among undergraduate nursing students. P < 0.001. β is the standardized regression coefficient
Table 3 and Fig. 2 illustrated the mediating role of learning engagement in the relationship between self-transcendence and professional identity. The mediation hypothesis was tested using Hayes’ PROCESS Macro (Model 4) to investigate learning engagement as a potential mediator between self-transcendence and professional identity
Moderated mediation analysis
Career self-efficacy moderated the relationship between self-transcendence and professional identity in undergraduate nursing students (Table 4; Fig. 3). In regression analysis, interaction terms were used to test moderation effects. And the interaction terms were created by multiplying the predictor and moderator variables, which test and estimate the statistical model moderation effects’ magnitude and significance. Moderation effects can be statistically assessed using confidence intervals (CI). The confidence interval excluded zero, indicating that the independent variable-moderator interaction affected the dependent variable statistically.
Table 4.
The moderated mediation effect of career self-efficacy on the relation between self-transcendence and professional identity via learning engagement
| Variable | Learning engagement | Professional identity | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| β | SE | t | 95%CI | β | SE | t | 95%CI | |
| Self-transcendence | 0.578 | 0.04 | 15.24*** | [0.50,0.65] | 0.278 | 0.04 | 6.32*** | [0.18,0.36] |
| Learning engagement | 0.463 | 0.04 | 10.52*** | [0.38,0.55] | ||||
| Career self-efficacy | 0.098 | 0.04 | 2.52* | [0.02,0.17] | ||||
|
Self-transcendence *Career self-efficacy |
-0.111 | 0.04 | -3.16** | [-0.18,-0.04] | ||||
| R 2 | 0.380 | R 2 | 0.453 | |||||
| F | 53.944*** | F | 91.512*** | |||||
**P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001
Fig. 3.
The moderating effect of career self-efficacy. P < 0.001. β is the standardized regression coefficient
Figure 3; Table 5 displayed the magnitude and direction of the moderating effect at distinct levels of career self-efficacy. The moderation analysis indicated that the interaction between self-transcendence and career self-efficacy significantly predicted learning engagement (β = −0.111, SE = 0.04, 95% CI [− 0.18, − 0.04]). It indicated that the effect of self-transcendence on learning engagement decreases as career self-efficacy increases, and career self-efficacy served as a moderator in the relationship between self-transcendence and learning engagement, supporting H3 (Hypothesis 3).
Table 5.
The moderating effect of career self-efficacy on the relationship between self-transcendence and learning engagement
| Variable | Learning engagement | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| β | SE | t | 95%CI | |
| Low career self-efficacy (M-1SD) | 0.680 | 0.05 | 14.31 | [0.59,0.77] |
| Moderate career self-efficacy | 0.593 | 0.04 | 15.71 | [0.52,0.67] |
| High career self-efficacy (M+1SD) | 0.455 | 0.06 | 7.99 | [0.34,0.57] |
P < 0.001
Simple slope analysis (Table 5; Fig. 4.) revealed that self-transcendence positively predicted learning engagement at both low (β = 0.680, SE = 0.05, 95% CI [0.59, 0.77]) and high (β = 0.455, SE = 0.06, 95% CI [0.34, 0.57]) levels of career self-efficacy (P < 0.001). However, as the indices show, the effect was stronger at lower levels of career self-efficacy. Therefore, as students’ self-transcendence increases, their learning engagement rises for all of them. However, the rate of increase is lessened at higher levels of career self-efficacy.
Fig. 4.
Career self-efficacy’s moderating effect on self-transcendence and learning engagement. P < 0.001
Discussion
Discussion of findings
The study results revealed substantial positive correlations between self-transcendence and learning engagement (β = 0.597, p < 0.01), and between learning engagement and professional identity (β = 0.636, p < 0.01) among undergraduate nursing students. Additionally, self-transcendence was directly correlated with professional identity (β = 0.557, p < 0.01). Learning engagement served as a mediator between self-transcendence and professional identity (P < 0.001). Career self-efficacy significantly moderated the relationship between self-transcendence and learning engagement (β = -0.111, p < 0.01,95% CI [-0.18, -0.04]). All proposed hypotheses received statistical support.
The findings of this study indicated that self-transcendence significantly predicted professional identity among undergraduate nursing students. This aligned with existing research and further validates the motivational role of self-transcendence in developing professional identity, supporting H1 (Hypothesis #1). Specifically, nursing students with higher levels of self-transcendence demonstrate increased motivational impulses and greater socio-emotional resources, which in turn facilitate their adjustment of cognitive and behavioral strategies. [47] This orientation emphasizes meaningful goals and professional ideals. It enhances one’s occupational calling, responsibility, and professional identity. Also, self-transcendence can be viewed as a developmental trajectory. It reflects the gradual maturation of an individual’s psychological, social, and spiritual growth motives. [48] This evolutionary process demonstrates the synchronous development of professional identity, finally establishing a virtuous loop between the two. Individuals develop continuously through learning, observation and clinical practice. This helps them strengthen their self-acceptance and self-affirmation. Undergraduate nursing students with low self-transcendence may exhibit a lack of learning motivation. [49] They may also show weak innovative consciousness and self-limiting behaviors. [50] Such behaviors might undermine their confidence in the nursing profession and professional belonging. Consequently, as the spiritual competence of undergraduate nursing students increases, their professional identity similarly elevates.
The research indicated that learning engagement is an intermediary factor in the relationship between self-transcendence and professional identity among undergraduate nursing students, confirming H2 (Hypothesis #2). This emphasizes the crucial role of learning engagement in the key connection between self-transcendence and professional identity. This study demonstrated that self-transcendence positively affected learning engagement. This conclusion filled the gap in empirical research on the direct correlation between the two, providing empirical support for the improvement of academic engagement in nursing education. From the perspective of the Theory of Caring Science, the essence of the nursing profession is “caring”. [51] This kind of caring refers to the care for patients, and it also encompasses the care for one’s own professional growth and professional mission. [52] Undergraduate nursing students with higher levels of self-transcendence have stronger intrinsic motivation and greater aspiration for excellence. [12] This intrinsic drive encourages continual studying and self-improvement. These students strive to exceed their limitations, invest more time and effort in academics. Meanwhile, undergraduate nursing students with high self-transcendence are more likely to maintain a high degree of initiative and concentration in their studies. [53] They consolidate their professional foundation through continuous learning and self-improvement to prepare for undertaking professional responsibilities in the future. Furthermore, this study found that learning engagement positively influences the professional identity of undergraduate nursing students, which is consistent with the results of previous research. [54] Active learning engagement satisfies the requirements of undergraduate nursing students for skill building and professional growth. [55] Accordingly, individuals attain increased autonomy and a sense of belonging in nursing knowledge acquisition and clinical practice, resulting in a more profound identification with their professional nursing identity and values. Learning engagement functions as the fundamental mechanism for the professional socialization of nursing students. [56] It reflects the interpretive expansion of the nursing professional socialization paradigm. However, its core logic remains grounded in the findings of this study’s mediation effect validation. In other words, a high level of self-transcendence provides internal motivation support for undergraduate nursing students. It encourages them to break through their own limitations and actively improve their learning engagement level. In turn, this positive learning engagement further meets the professional growth needs of nursing students and promotes their professional socialization process. Ultimately, it achieves the improvement of their professional identity. This conclusion meant that undergraduate nursing students’ learning engagement mediates the link between self-transcendence and professional identity.
The findings revealed that the influence of self-transcendence on career identity is moderated by career self-efficacy. This discovery elucidated the dual aspect of career self-efficacy in nursing students, functioning as both a resource and a risk factor. Empirical research has confirmed that professional self-efficacy can alter the intensity of the association between learning goals and professional interests. [57] Prior research has not specifically investigated the magnitude and orientation of this moderating influence within the undergraduate nursing population. So, our study offered novel empirical evidence for research in this domain. Albert Bandura posited that self-efficacy was subject to influence from emotional states. [30] Zimmerman’s cyclical model of self-regulated learning emphasized the learner’s subjectivity and metacognitive abilities. [58] And its core ideology was that learning was a dynamic and developmental process. According to this model, the underlying mechanism of such regulatory effects may be that undergraduate nursing students with lower career self-efficacy tend to lack confidence in their own abilities. [59] For them, self-transcendent goals may align more closely with their actual circumstances. In contrast, individuals with high levels of self-transcendence pursue meaningful objectives. [11] They also exhibit overconfidence in their capabilities. [60] Undergraduate nursing students with elevated career self-efficacy possess robust motivation for learning and demonstrate competent self-assessment regarding career development. [61] Individuals believe they can handle academic and professional challenges with minimal time or effort required. However, this perception ignores the practicality of goal setting and feedback, and the adjustment of learning outcomes. Prolonged exposure to high-pressure workplaces may impair nursing students’ self-transcendence motivation. High levels of career self-efficacy may potentially lead to emotional exhaustion. [62] This situation subsequently diminishes enthusiasm for learning and indirectly impacts learning engagement. [63,64] The findings of this study confirmed that high career self-efficacy may lead to issues such as overconfidence and neglect of goal adjustment. However, the conclusion that excessively high career self-efficacy may lead to emotional exhaustion was not directly validated in this study. Considering the context of this research, the high-pressure nature of clinical nursing work combined with nursing students’ still-developing stress resilience may amplify this risk. Nevertheless, this mechanism requires further empirical validation in subsequent studies. Consequently, the facilitative role of self-transcendence in promoting learning engagement may become less pronounced.
Limitations
This study has limitations as follows. There may be other mediating variables between self-transcendence and professional identity among undergraduate nursing students. The underlying influence mechanism between the two still needs to be further explored. Furthermore, cross-sectional studies cannot track changes in individuals’ professional identity over time. Future research may employ mixed-methods to enhance the evidential basis for the conclusions or explore longitudinal methodologies to assess the evolving professional identity of nursing students.
Meanwhile, as a cross-sectional study conducted on full-time undergraduate nursing students from some universities in Wuhan, the results might be influenced by regional educational characteristics and the development level of the discipline. So, future studies should broaden their sampling standards to include more diverse demographic groups and enable a deeper examination of these associations. Also, researchers can develop intervention models grounded in self-transcendence and professional identity. Educators should implement intervention measures matching the psychological development of nursing students at different stages to enhance their professional identity.
Conclusions
Self-transcendence among undergraduate nursing students enhanced their learning engagement and professional identity. The relationship between self-transcendence and professional identity was mediated by learning engagement. Career self-efficacy played a moderating role between self-transcendence and learning engagement. Undergraduate nursing students with higher career self-efficacy exhibited a weakened effect of self-transcendence on learning engagement, which was different from the results of previous studies. Such initiatives have the potential to enhance academic training programs and career development systems, ultimately cultivating higher-quality healthcare professionals for the future.
Supplementary Information
Acknowledgements
We sincerely thank Professor Yong Fang for his assistance in research design, data collection and financial support. The students who participated in the study were also acknowledged.
Abbreviations
- STS
Self-Transcendence Scale
- UWES-S
Utrecht Work Engagement Scale
- CSES
Career Self-Efficacy Scale
- PISNS
Professional Identity for Nursing Students Scale
Authors’ contributions
Ziyun Yuan: Data collection, data analysis and interpretation, Writing-original draft. Yong Fang: Conceptualization, design, funding acquisition, review & editing.
Funding
This work was supported by the Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyberpsychology and Behavior, Ministry of Education (CCNUYPSYLAB2025B07); the key research project of Hubei Province Career Education Research Association in 2025 (HBSYA2506); and the 2024 Hubei University of Chinese Medicine Education and Teaching Research Project (2024B15).
Data availability
The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.
Declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
This research adheres to the research norms and standards stipulated in the “Helsinki Declaration”. The Medical Research Ethics Committee of Hubei University of Chinese Medicine approved this study (2025055). All participants are over 18 years old and have voluntarily participated.
Consent for publication
This study is agreed to be published.
Competing interests
The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.
Footnotes
Publisher’s note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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Data Availability Statement
The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.