Self-confidence, gender and academic achievement of undergraduate nursing students

• • 
  In view of the fact that early development of self-confidence and gender are very predictive of high levels later in life, it is important to focus on the possible antecedents of academic achievement.
• • 
  The study was undertaken to examine the role of self-confidence development and gender in academic achievement of undergraduate students.

The aim of this study was to determine the self-confidence levels of nursing students and the factors related to such self-confidence. Data were obtained via a questionnaire for socio-demographic characteristics and a ‘Self-Confidence Scale’ prepared by the researchers. High self-confidence levels were noted in 78.6% of female students and 92.3% of male students. While 84.5% of second-year students had high self-confidence levels, this rate was 76% in fourth-year students. Female nursing students were significantly less self-confident than male students. Self-confidence should be nurtured in a caring nursing curriculum; however, there is a lack of clarity as to what confidence means, how it is perceived by students and what educators can do to instil self-confidence in nursing students.