Learning approach among health sciences students in a medical college in Nepal: a cross-sectional study

Figures & data

Table 1 Reliability test of questionnaire

Subscales	Cronbach’s alpha value
Deep approach	0.71
Deep motive	0.56
Deep strategy	0.56
Surface approach	0.72
Surface motive	0.62
Surface strategy	0.48
Total	0.60

Table 2 Pearson correlations between scales and subscales of the Revised Two-factor Study Process Questionnaire

Variable	Deep approach	Deep motive	Deep strategy	Surface approach	Surface motive	Surface strategy
Deep approach	1	0.876*	0.882*	−0.192*	−0.233*	−0.107**
Deep motive	0.876*	1	0.545*	−0.186*	−0.235*	−0.093
Deep strategy	0.882*	0.545*	1	−0.153*	−0.176*	−0.096
Surface approach	−0.192*	−0.186*	−0.153*	1	0.902*	0.890*
Surface motive	−0.233*	−0.235*	−0.176*	0.902*	1	0.605*
Surface strategy	−0.107**	−0.093	−0.096	0.890*	0.605*	1

Notes:

* Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (two-tailed).

** Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (two-tailed).

Figure 1 Mean ± standard deviation of deep and surface study approach including their motive and strategy among all participants.

Note: These are mean scores out of a possible score of 50 for deep and surface approach and out of a possible score of 25 for motive and strategy subscales.

Table 3 Comparison of the R-SPQ-2F measures between MBBS, BDS, and nursing students on study approach

Variable	MBBS, mean ± SD	BDS, mean ± SD	Nursing, mean ± SD	P1 value (MBBS vs BDS)	P2 value (MBBS vs nursing)	P3 value (BDS vs nursing)
Deep approach	33.26±6.40	31.71±6.51	31.36±4.72	0.012	0.032	0.870
Surface approach	24.25±6.55	27.51±7.45	26.15±5.89	<0.001	0.093	0.326
Deep motive	16.73±3.54	15.46±3.65	15.26±2.92	0.006	0.015	0.769
Deep strategy	16.52±3.65	15.71±3.81	16.10±3.16	0.086	0.500	0.583
Surface motive	10.94±3.74	12.66±4.36	11.86±3.50	0.002	0.152	0.329
Surface strategy	13.31±3.65	14.92±3.82	14.28±3.14	0.001	0.121	0.377

Notes: Values shown in bold are statistically significant.

Abbreviations: R-SPQ-2F, Biggs’s Revised Two-Factor Study Process Questionnaire; MBBS, bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery; BDS, bachelor of dental surgery; SD, standard deviation.

Table 4 Comparison of study approach between first- and second-year medical and dental students

Variable	MBBS students			BDS students
	First year (N=134)	Second year (N=120)	P-value	First year (N=38)	Second year (N=42)	P-value
Deep approach	34.63±6.51	31.73±5.93	<0.001	33.47±6.73	29.09±5.62	0.002
Surface approach	24.35±6.52	24.14±6.60	0.801	25.55±8.19	29.34±6.25	0.023
Deep motive	17.32±3.61	16.08±3.36	0.005	17.05±3.75	14.02±2.93	<0.001
Deep strategy	17.31±3.61	15.65±3.50	<0.001	16.42±4.04	15.07±3.51	0.114
Surface motive	11.03±3.73	10.83±3.76	0.665	11.21±4.49	13.97±3.84	0.004
Surface strategy	13.32±3.60	13.31±3.71	0.993	14.34±4.33	15.46±3.25	0.195

Notes: All data are shown as mean ± SD, with the exception of P-values. Values shown in bold are statistically significant.

Abbreviations: MBBS, bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery; BDS, bachelor of dental surgery.

Table 5 Multiple comparisons (ANOVA) between MBBS, BDS, and nursing students to explore the differences in mean score of different study approach

Variable	Sum of squares	df	Mean square	F	Significance
Deep approach
Between groups	331.838	2	165.919	4.204	0.016
Within groups	14,563.719	369	39.468
Total	14,895.556	371
Surface approach
Between groups	683.222	2	341.611	7.629	0.001
Within groups	16,477.625	368	44.776
Total	17,160.846	370
Deep motive
Between groups	145.245	2	72.623	5.881	0.003
Within groups	4,556.583	369	12.348
Total	4,701.828	371
Deep strategy
Between groups	42.175	2	21.088	1.588	0.206
Within groups	4,899.274	369	13.277
Total	4,941.449	371
Surface motive
Between groups	189.363	2	94.682	6.352	0.002
Within groups	5,500.344	369	14.906
Total	5,689.707	371
Surface strategy
Between groups	167.120	2	83.560	6.293	0.002
Within groups	4,886.529	368	13.279
Total	5,053.650	370

Notes: The mean difference is significant at the 0.05 level. Values shown in bold are statistically significant.

Abbreviations: ANOVA, analysis of variance; MBBS, bachelor of medicine, bachelor of surgery; BDS, bachelor of dental surgery.