The relationships among critical thinking disposition, caring behavior, and learning styles in student nurses

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships among disposition toward critical thinking, learning styles, and caring behaviors in student nurses enrolled in three 5-year junior nursing colleges in Southern Taiwan. Methods: This cross-sectional study used a convenience sample that comprised 777 nursing students from two cities. The data were obtained through the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory, Chinese Version (CTDI-CV), Index of Learning Styles (ILS), and the Caring Behavior Scale (CBS). The sample ranged in age from 16 to 22 years (M = 18.21). Results: Students scored highest on the inquisitiveness subscale and lowest on the truth-seeking subscale. Additionally, some dimensions of disposition toward critical thinking differed significantly by learning style. There was a positive relationship between overall critical thinking dispositions and caring behaviors (r = 0.23, p < 0.01). Finally, dimensions of caring behavior, with the exception of the maturity dimension, were significantly positively related to most dimensions of the disposition toward critical thinking (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The findings indicate that not only is learning style related to critical thinking disposition but also to caring behaviors. However, the cause of these relationships warrants further study.