Analysis of Self-esteem and Academic Achievement among the Midwifery Students of Mashhad School of Nursing and Midwifery in 2013

Introduction: The students’ academic achievement is of paramount significance for their future accomplishments. Academic achievement is associated with various effective factors, one of which is self-esteem. The current study was conducted to assess the correlation between self-esteem and academic achievement of the midwifery students at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in 2013. Methods: This analytical study was carried out on the midwifery students of Mashhad School of Nursing and Midwifery in the first semester of the academic year 2013-2014. The participants were selected through census sampling. The instruments for data collection included a personal and academic information questionnaire and Rosenberg self-esteem scale. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS-16 software using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: The mean of grade point average of the students was 16.31±1.05 (Mean±SD). Total mean score of self-esteem was reported to be 16.54±2.34. The majority of students were reported to have a moderate self-esteem (84.9%). The results of Pearson correlation test showed no significant correlation between self-esteem and academic achievement (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The findings indicated no significant correlation between the students’ self-esteem and their academic achievement. Other factors such as cultural, emotional and psychological conditions in the society, however, seem to be associated with academic achievement and self-esteem. Hence, more comprehensive studies are recommended to be carried out in this regard.