Effect of Mentorship Programs on Locus of Control Development among Nursing Students in Selected University, Ajman

Background: Locus of Control is an aptitude that is to be relevant control in excess of outcomes. People who consider themselves able to control their outcomes are known as internal or possess an internal Locus of Control. Externals or individuals with external Locus of Control considered their outcomes beyond of their control.

Objectives: To investigate the impact of a mentorship program on the locus of control development among nursing students at a private university in the UAE.

Materials and Methods: This research investigates the impact of a mentorship program on the locus of control among first-year nursing students at a private university in the UAE. The study involves 51 Nursing students and utilizes a quantitative, with pre-experimental research design (One Group Pretest/ Post-test). The Academic Locus of Control Scale for College Students and the Mentorship Assessment Form were used for data collection. Data were collected over 8 weeks through online surveys and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics.

Conclusion and Major Findings of the Study: Regarding the students’ perception barriers in Mentoring, 21.6% of participants agreed that the objectives did not suit them, while 25.5% agreed that appointment times were not obeyed and 29.4% were annoyed with their mentor's conduct, which could affect the mentoring relationship's effectiveness. Regarding the Locus of control results, In Pre-Assessment, students initially exhibited a balanced or external locus of control, with high agreement to statements like "Some students, such as student leaders and athletes, get free rides in college classes" (66.7%) and "I can be easily talked out of studying" (72.5%). In the Post-Assessment: There was a significant shift toward an internal locus of control. Positive responses to statements such as "College grades most often reflect the effort you put into classes" increased from 47.1% to 86.3%, and "I consider myself highly motivated to achieve success in life" rose from 52.9% to 90.2%.    It is recommended to develop and implement structured mentorship programs tailored to the needs of nursing students and new graduates to support their transition into professional roles.