Shaping nursing identity: Empathy and personality in Chinese undergraduate education

Abstract

Background Professional identity is fundamental to nursing education and influences students’ academic development, clinical practice, and career commitment. This study examined the associations of empathy and Big Five personality traits with professional identity among Chinese undergraduate nursing students. Methods A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among undergraduate nursing students in Chongqing, China. Participants completed the Interpersonal Reactivity Index–Chinese version (IRI-C), Ten-Item Personality Inventory–Chinese version (TIPI-C), and Professional Identity Questionnaire for Medical Students (PIQMS). Data were analysed using Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses. Results A total of 274 nursing undergraduates were included. Professional identity was positively correlated with overall empathy ( r = 0.196, P < 0.01) and personality traits ( r = 0.407, P < 0.001). In multivariable regression analyses, more positive perceptions of nurse–patient relationships ( β = 0.231), perspective taking ( β = 0.219), conscientiousness ( β = 0.204), personal distress (β = 0.154), extraversion ( β = 0.132), and neuroticism ( β = 0.131) were independently associated with higher professional identity. The model explained 28% of the variance in professional identity (adjusted R ² = 0.28). Conclusion Professional identity among nursing undergraduates was associated with empathy, personality traits, and perceptions of nurse–patient relationships. These findings support the integration of empathy-focused training and personality-informed educational strategies into undergraduate nursing education to strengthen professional identity.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. PLoS ONE, 2026 · DOI ↗