Factors Influencing Latent Profiles of Spiritual Health and Their Associations with Leadership and Professional Identity Among First-Year Nursing Students: A Latent Profile Analysis

Vollständiger Abstract

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Abstract Aim To identify latent profiles of spiritual health among first-year nursing students and examine their associations with leadership and professional identity. Background First-year nursing students face simultaneous academic transition and socialisation into the profession. Spiritual health may serve as an internal resource that supports adjustment and professional value formation; however, heterogeneity in spiritual health during this period is poorly described. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 931 first-year nursing students from a medical university (October 2022–2024). Measures included demographics, spiritual health (SHS-SF), leadership (SALI), and professional values (NPVS-R). Latent profile analysis identified subgroups; ANOVA and multinomial logistic regression examined profile differences and predictors. Results Three profiles emerged: high spirituality–high resilience (23.1%), moderate spirituality–moderate adaptation (54.1%), and low spirituality–low coping (22.8%). Leadership and professional values scores increased stepwise across profiles ( p < 0.001). Students planning further education and those with higher recognition of nursing research value were more likely to belong to moderate or high spirituality profiles. Conclusion Spiritual health is heterogeneous among first-year nursing students and is closely linked to leadership and professional identity. Recognition of the value of nursing research and aspirations for advanced education appear to support more adaptive spiritual health profiles.