The Relationship Between Critical Thinking Disposition and Self-Esteem in Midwifery Students

Abstract

Background: Students’ personal characteristics are among the factors influencing the development of their critical thinking. Selfesteem is a normal influencing personality trait. Self-esteem affects all the aspects of individuals’ lives including the way of their thinking and performance. Objectives: Therefore, the current study aimed to determine the relationship between critical thinking disposition and self-esteem in the midwifery students of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2014. Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out on all bachelor students (N = 53) of the Mashhad Nursing and Midwifery Faculty. Data were collected through a personal information form, the Rosenberg’s self-esteem questionnaire, and the California critical thinking disposition questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS through descriptive statistical methods and a Pearson correlation coefficient test. Results: The vast majority of students (62.26%) had an unsteady critical thinking disposition. However, 84.90% of them had a moderate level of self-esteem. Pearson correlation test showed no significant relationship between critical thinking disposition and self-esteem (P > 0.05). Conclusions: According to the study results, the vast majority of the study cases had a moderate level of self-esteem with an unsteady critical thinking disposition. There was no significant relationship between critical thinking disposition and self-esteem in the studied midwifery students.