Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
182,460 studies31 sourcesUpdated 56 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDBMC medical education

Predictors of academic self-efficacy in medical intern students: the roles of mindful eating, physical activity, sleep quality, and mental workload.

  • Mina Babashahi1,2
  • Najme Setoude3
  • Ali Ghanaatian Jobzari4
  • Fatemeh Torkizadeh5
  • Hadi Daneshmandi6
6 affiliations
  1. 1Nutrition Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
  2. 2Department of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
  3. 3Student Research Committee, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
  4. 4Student Research Committee, Shiraz University of Medical Science, Shiraz, Iran.
  5. 5Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.
  6. 6Research Center for Health Sciences, Institute of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 71645-111, Shiraz, IR, Iran. [email protected].
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Background

Academic self-efficacy, defined as an individual's belief in their capacity to complete academic tasks, may play a role in the learning and performance of medical students. Lifestyle factors such as sleep quality, physical activity, and mindfulness-based behaviors have been associated with cognitive performance and psychological well-being and can influence academic self-efficacy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the associations between these factors and academic self-efficacy among medical interns.Methods

This cross-sectional study included 165 medical interns (53.3% male, mean age 25.83 ± 1.65 years) from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences who completed validated questionnaires assessing mindful eating, mental workload, academic self-efficacy, sleep quality, and physical activity. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors.Results

The mean academic self-efficacy score was 3.32 ± 0.52 out of 5 points. Significant predictors of overall academic self-efficacy included the following: mindful eating subscales (awareness: β = 0.16, p = 0.046; disinhibition: β = 0.195, p = 0.018; external cues: β = 0.275, p = 0.003), physical activity (β = 0.13, p = 0.039), sleep quality (sleep latency: β = -0.27, p = 0.002; sleep efficiency: β = -0.195, p = 0.026; subjective sleep quality: β = -0.22, p = 0.005), and mental workload (physical demand: β = -0.185, p = 0.027; temporal demand: β = -0.195, p = 0.025). The full model explained 41.5% of the variance in academic self-efficacy. Similar patterns were observed across all four subscales.Conclusion

Higher academic self-efficacy in medical interns was significantly associated with more mindful eating, higher physical activity, better sleep quality, and lower mental workload. These findings suggest that future research should evaluate multidimensional interventions targeting these modifiable factors to increase medical students' academic self-efficacy.

Related

  1. Perceived academic demands and psychological distress among Chinese university students: structural associations involving chronic time pressure and leisure-time physical activity.
    Zhikai Gong, Gang Shen, Zhuang Zhou
    Frontiers in public healthPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textEpidemiology & public healthEurope PMCCrossref
  2. Effects of physical activity on executive function components and academic performance in children aged 6–12 years: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
    Pingxue Qiu, Ting Zhou, Jiachen Wu +3
    BMC Public HealthPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0PhysiologyCrossref
  3. Longitudinal relationships between physical exercise, psychological resilience, and academic engagement in Chinese university students: a random-intercept cross-lagged panel study
    Yuankai Qiao, Haibin Liu
    Frontiers in PsychologyPeer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Full textPhysiologyPMC
  4. Digital transformation in nursing education: students’ satisfaction, academic self-efficacy, and challenges with interactive e-books
    Ahmed Khalaf Mekdad, Mohamed Hashem Kotp, Rasha Mohamed Elauoty +6
    BMC NursingPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.0Full textEpidemiology & public healthPMC
  5. Perceived physical literacy, sports team participation, and regular physical activity among university students: a national survey study
    Chuan-Chuan Huang, Zi-yi Cheng, Hung-Yi Wang +4
    BMC Public HealthPeer-reviewedCC BY-NC-ND 4.01 citedPhysiologyCrossref

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{babashahi2026predictors,
  title = {{Predictors of academic self-efficacy in medical intern students: the roles of mindful eating, physical activity, sleep quality, and mental workload.}},
  author = {Mina Babashahi and Najme Setoude and Ali Ghanaatian Jobzari and Fatemeh Torkizadeh and Hadi Daneshmandi},
  journal = {BMC medical education},
  year = {2026},
  month = aug,
  doi = {10.1186/s12909-026-10055-7},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958301},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Predictors of academic self-efficacy in medical intern students: the roles of mindful eating, physical activity, sleep quality, and mental workload.
AU  - Mina Babashahi
AU  - Najme Setoude
AU  - Ali Ghanaatian Jobzari
AU  - Fatemeh Torkizadeh
AU  - Hadi Daneshmandi
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/03
JO  - BMC medical education
DO  - 10.1186/s12909-026-10055-7
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958301
AB  - Background  Academic self-efficacy, defined as an individual's belief in their capacity to complete academic tasks, may play a role in the learning and performance of medical students. Lifestyle factors such as sleep quality, physical activity, and mindfulness-based behaviors have been associated with cognitive performance and psychological well-being and can influence academic self-efficacy. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the associations between these factors and academic self-efficacy among medical interns.Methods  This cross-sectional study included 165 medical interns (53.3% male, mean age 25.83 ± 1.65 years) from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences who completed validated questionnaires assessing mindful eating, mental workload, academic self-efficacy, sleep quality, and physical activity. Multiple regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors.Results  The mean academic self-efficacy score was 3.32 ± 0.52 out of 5 points. Significant predictors of overall academic self-efficacy included the following: mindful eating subscales (awareness: β = 0.16, p = 0.046; disinhibition: β = 0.195, p = 0.018; external cues: β = 0.275, p = 0.003), physical activity (β = 0.13, p = 0.039), sleep quality (sleep latency: β = -0.27, p = 0.002; sleep efficiency: β = -0.195, p = 0.026; subjective sleep quality: β = -0.22, p = 0.005), and mental workload (physical demand: β = -0.185, p = 0.027; temporal demand: β = -0.195, p = 0.025). The full model explained 41.5% of the variance in academic self-efficacy. Similar patterns were observed across all four subscales.Conclusion  Higher academic self-efficacy in medical interns was significantly associated with more mindful eating, higher physical activity, better sleep quality, and lower mental workload. These findings suggest that future research should evaluate multidimensional interventions targeting these modifiable factors to increase medical students' academic self-efficacy.
SN  - 1472-6920
ER  -