Medical students’ academic emotions: the role of perceived learning environment

Abstract

Introduction: Research shows that there is a relationship betweenstudents’ perceptions of classroom and learning environment andtheir cognitive, affective, emotional and behavioral outcomes, so,in this study the relationship between medical students’ perceptionof learning environment and academic emotions was examined.Methods: The research method used was descriptive-correlative.The statistical population consisted of medical students of ShirazUniversity of Medical Sciences. Stratified sampling methodwas used to select 342 participants. They completed self-reportquestionnaires of Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure(DREEM) and Achievement Emotions Questionnaire (AEQ). Alldescriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlations and simultaneousmultiple regression were performed using SPSS 14 software.Results: Simultaneous multiple regression of the students’perceived learning environment on their academic achievementemotions showed that the perceived learning environment predictsthe students’ academic emotions.Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that caring forand supportive learning environment can increase the students’positive emotions and decrease their academic negative emotions(i.e. anxiety, shame, and hopelessness). Implications of the resultsare discussed.Keywords: Learning; Environment; Emotion; Medical students