Influence of Achievement Motivation and Parent-Child Relationship on Ego Identity in Korean Nursing Students

Abstract

Purpose: This study was conducted to characterize the influence of achievement motivation and the parent-child relationship on ego identity in Korean nursing students. Methods: The participants were 217 Korean nursing students in the first and fourth year of university. Data were collected through self-report questionnaires composed of items assessing ego identity, achievement motivation, the parent-child relationship, and demographic characteristics. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, the x test, and multinomial logistic regression analysis. Results: Ego identity was related to achievement motivation; moreover, the achievement motivation of students with moratorium and achieved identity status was significantly higher than that of students with low-profile moratorium and diffused identity statuses. Ego identity was not related to the mother-child relationship, but the father-child relationship of students in foreclosure was significantly higher than that of students with diffused identity status. The factors influencing achieved identity compared to diffused identity were achievement motivation, year in school, satisfaction with school, and having religious beliefs. Conclusion: These findings indicate that nursing students’ ego identity attainment was more influenced by achievement motivation than by the parent-child relationship. It emphasizes that highly motivated students can develop their own identities regardless of the parent-child relationship.