Can nursing students' perceived teacher enthusiasm dampen their class-related boredom during theoretical lessons? A cross-sectional study among Chinese nursing students.

BACKGROUND: Class-related boredom experienced by nursing students during theoretical lessons may affect their health and learning outcomes. Perceived teacher enthusiasm of nursing students may dampen their boredom, but little empirical research has investigated their relationship.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the current study is to investigate the dampening effects of nursing students' perceived teacher enthusiasm on their class-related boredom during theoretical lessons. The main theoretical framework is control-value theory of achievement emotions.

DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was used.

METHODS: 352 nursing students during their theoretical lessons completed questionnaires on perceived teacher enthusiasm, boredom proneness, perceived task difficulty and class-related boredom. Correlation and classic multiple hierarchical analysis results supported the hypothesis about the relationships among variables.

RESULTS: After controlling the effects of demographic variables, boredom proneness and perceived task difficulty, perceived teacher enthusiasm negatively predicted class-related boredom significantly.

CONCLUSION: Perceived teacher enthusiasm of nursing students can predict their class-related boredom significantly.