Teaching and Learning in Nursing (2011) 6, 9–13

www.jtln.org

Maslow's hierarchy of needs and student academic success

Frances Anne Freitas PhD, RNC, CNE a,⁎, Lora J. Leonard MSN, RN b
a
Kent State University-East Liverpool Campus, East Liverpool, OH 43920, USA
b
Kent State University-Ashtabula Campus, Ashtabula, OH 44004, USA

KEYWORDS: Abstract This study was designed to identify the factors contributing to student nurse success. This
Maslow; study examined the relationships between needs being met and student success and looked at
Students; attributes contributing to student success. Students identified categories of “physiological” and
Success “psychosocial” needs. They recognized that meeting these needs was important but they were not
always able to meet them.
Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of National Organization for Associate Degree Nursing.

1. Introduction psychological stress, and economic stability affect perfor-

For centuries, social and physical scientists and scholars
have speculated on how humans function, succeed, or fail
in their adventures in life. Investigations examining how
humans function as a whole and under specific conditions
such as stress, crises, and education have been made
(Cannon, 1929; Coleman et al., 1966; Henderson et al.,
2009; Holmes & Rahe, 1967; Maslow, 1954; Selye, 1946;
Vidotto, Ferrario, Bond, & Zotti, 2010). Academic failure
in a nursing program is a concern for both students and
faculty. Multiple factors affect nursing student success in
the nursing program. Proficiency in sciences and the ability
to link concepts to nursing practice are integral to a
student's ability to achieve success and provide competent
and compassionate care (Jenkins, 2009). Dearnley and
Matthew (2007) found that among nursing students,
“success drove success,” resulting in a motivating cycle
of reflection, connection, “confidence building, challenging
practice, and esteem building” (p. 388). In addition, it is
generally assumed that nonacademic factors such as test-
taking anxiety, family responsibilities, health status,
⁎ Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: ffreitas@kent.edu, lleonar8@kent.edu
mance in the classroom and clinical setting. Using
Maslow's hierarchy of needs as a framework for factors
contributing to successful outcomes may assist in the
identification of potential barriers and facilitators to
successful academic performance in a nursing program
(Adams & Gilman, 2002; Jenkins, 2009; Maskey, 2009;
Maslow, 1954; Sweet, 2009). Through identification of
these factors, faculty, administrators, and students can
implement plans to facilitate success of students in their
respective nursing programs. The purpose of this study
was to identify salient factors contributing to nursing
student success.
2. Literature review
Abraham Maslow (1954) created his five-level hierarchy
of needs by observing the growth and development of
students. According to Maslow, a person's most fundamental
needs are for air, food, clothing, and shelter; these are
survival or physiologic needs. Unless these needs are met,
the person cannot progress on the continuum to achieve
higher levels of growth and development (Hamel,
Leclerc, & Lefrancois, 2003). Higher needs on Maslow's
pyramid include safety and security, love and belonging,

1557-3087/$ – see front matter. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of National Organization for Associate Degree Nursing.
doi:10.1016/j.teln.2010.07.004
10
and self-esteem and self-actualization, in that order.
Moving from survival needs to more social development
needs, one of the highest levels is self-actualization,
where persons are concerned about their legacy, the
needs of humankind, and how to make the world a
better place for its inhabitants (Hamel et al., 2003). In
the nursing student, self-actualization may be evidenced
by critically reflective behaviors that promote the care of
patients and society (Dearnley & Matthew, 2007).
According to Maslow, self-actualization depends on
having met underlying needs and looking outward from
oneself to humankind.
3. Purpose
This study was designed to identify factors related to
nursing student success. Faculty often observed that
students who are academically able to succeed may not
do so. Other students who struggle to succeed do so
despite great trials and tribulations. In light of these
observations, this study looked at the importance of
students' needs and their ability to meet those needs.
Data were also collected on student attributes that faculty
have identified as important to student success.
Research questions were the following:
1. What is the relationship between a student's needs and
the student's ability to succeed in an associate degree
of nursing program?
2. What is the relationship between students' ability to
meet their needs and student academic success?
3. What is the relationship between student demographic
characteristics and student academic success?
4. What relationship is there between perceived student
attributes and student academic success?
5. What is the relationship between the amount of time
working and student academic success?
4. Methods
This study used a survey methodology to obtain data
from respondents. Participants were entry-level students in
an associate degree in nursing program at regional
campuses of a state university. Students who enter the
program have completed minimum requirements of
algebra, biology, and chemistry and have a 2.7 grade
point average (GPA) or higher. Students who are licensed
practical nurses or certified paramedics enter the program
as advanced placement students.
The survey used in this study was created from a
review of literature and faculty experience with student
nurses (Cannon, 1929; Dillman, 2000; Maslow, 1954,
1968, Selye, 1946; Selye & Bajiesz, 1959). Questions
were created by integrating Maslow's hierarchy of needs,
F.A. Freitas, L.J. Leonard
Table 1 Importance and ability to meet needs
1. The ability to provide food, clothing, and shelter for you and your
significant others.
2. The opportunity to be financially independent.
3. The ability to avoid being dependent on others.
4. The ability to ensure a safe environment for you and your significant
others.
5. The ability to provide health insurance for you and your significant
others.
6. The opportunity to explore new knowledge.
7. The opportunity to interact and collaborate with others.
8. The opportunity to care for others.
9. The opportunity to build relationships.
10. The ability to achieve a sense of accomplishment.
11. The opportunity to attain self-fulfillment.
12. The opportunity to achieve personal satisfaction.
13. The opportunity to contribute to society.
14. The ability to help others.
15. The capacity to inspire members of society.
basic student needs, and student attributes identified as
important for successful academic performance. The ques-
tionnaire had two sections: 15 items in an Importance
section and the same 15 items in an Ability section
(Table 1). A Likert scale was used for responses, with 4 as
highly important, 3 as moderately important, 2 as slightly
important, and 1 as not important. The items are listed
in Table 1.
The questionnaire was administered to entry-level
nursing students during a seminar on test-taking strategies.
The survey asked about the importance of needs and the
students' ability to meet those needs. The last section
asked about how strongly the students felt they possessed
identified professional attributes. These attributes included
self-awareness, social supports, organization, time man-
agement, application of knowledge, responsibility, ac-
countability, analytical thinking, open minded, global
view, professionalism, reliable, motivated, self-directed,
curious, receptive to feedback, constructive communica-
tion, and a positive attitude (Dearnley & Matthew, 2007;
Elcin et al., 2006; McCann & Baker, 2001; McDowell
et al., 2008; Pati, 2009; Pavlish & Ceronsky, 2009; Sand,
2003; South, 2007). Students were given 20 minutes to
complete the four-page survey. No difficulty with
readability or comprehension of the survey items was
communicated by students. Results were available for 205
nursing students; 190 students had complete data on the
questionnaire items.
A principal components factor analysis was conducted
on the 15 Importance items and on the 15 Ability items.
The scree plots for these analyses indicated a two-factor
structure: physical needs and psychosocial needs. Physical
needs included physiological and safety levels (Maslow,
1954, 1968). Psychosocial needs included love and
belonging, self-esteem, and self-actualization levels
(Maslow, 1954, 1968).
Maslow's hierarchy of needs and student academic success 11

Table 2 Relationships between variables

Psychosocial Psychosocial Attributes Physical Physical
importance ability ability importance
Psychosocial importance 1 .251 a .388 a .124 .372
Psychosocial ability .251 a 1 .435 a .345 a .066
Attributes .388 a .435 a 1 .290 a .224 a
Physical ability .124 .345 a .290 a 1 −.053
Physical importance .372 .066 .224 a −.053 1
Age .099 .089 .150 b .192 a .011
GPA .029 .056 −.116 .045 −.040
Gender .221 a .097 .137 .001 .204 a
Loans .064 .021 −.051 .073 −.072
Job −.043 −.007 −.015 −.091 −.012
Work time −.112 −.181 b −.150 −.300 a −.059
Job hours −.011 .123 .175 .320 a .000
Child care .030 .103 −.007 −.056 .031
a
α ≤ .01.
b
α ≤.05.

5. Results regarding student needs and ability A repeated-measures ANOVA was calculated using the
to meet needs four scales as the repeated factor, work time as the
between-subjects variable, and age as the covariate.
The average age of the participants was 28.7 years. Of Table 3 presents the descriptive statistics for this analysis.
those who responded, 86.8% were women and 13.2% Respondents were least confident about their ability to
were men. Seventy-one percent of students had jobs and meet their physiological needs (Wilks' λ, F = 6.762; df =
84.1% had student loans. Child care was required by 3, 130; P = .000). Respondents who worked full-time
45% of participants. Students who had repeated at least revealed more ability and importance to these dimensions
one math or science class were represented by 88.2% than did those working part-time (F = 7.314; df = 1, 132;
of respondents. P = .008). The respondents who worked full-time also felt
There were no significant relationships between entry- more confident about meeting their needs.
level student GPA and the importance of needs or the The means on importance of these needs for students
ability to meet them. No significant or strength of who worked outside of school ranged from 3.43 to
relationship was found between GPA and any of the 3.7. This suggests that physiological and psychological
demographic data. This may be due to the students having needs were rated as moderately to highly important
to meet a required minimum GPA to enter the program. by respondents. There was no correlation between
There was a significant weak relationship between student attributes and student academic success for
attributes and the importance and ability of students to entry-level students.
meet needs. No significant or strength of relationship was
found between attributes and GPA. Table 2 represents
these identified correlations. 6. Correlations of importance and ability
to meet needs
Significant relationships were identified between spe-
Table 3 Descriptive statistics
cific variables (Table 2). Older respondents reported
Work time Mean SD n greater ability to meet their needs (r = .192, P b .01)
Physical importance Full-time 3.7034 0.39141 29 and possession of attributes (r = .150, P b .05) than did
Part-time 3.6491 0.55742 106 younger respondents. Women reported greater importance
Total 3.6607 0.52534 135
in meeting psychosocial and physical needs compared
Psychosocial importance Full-time 3.5479 0.50564 29
Part-time 3.4329 0.55565 106 with men (rgender imppsychosocial = −.181, P b .05; rgender
Total 3.4576 0.54552 135 impphysical = −.300, P b .01). The more hours respondents
Physical ability Full-time 2.9931 0.69996 29 worked, the greater the perceived physical ability to meet
Part-time 2.4434 0.78559 106 their needs (rjobhours abilityphysical = .320, P b .01). There
Total 2.5615 0.79832 135
was no significant relationship between GPA and student
Psychosocial ability Full-time 3.4483 0.53506 29
Part-time 3.2476 0.54935 106 needs or possession of attributes. There was also no
Total 3.2907 0.55057 135 significant relationship between whether a student had a
job and their GPA.
12
7. Discussion and importance of findings
Academic failure is a major concern for faculty and
administrators of nursing programs. As strategies to
promote retention are explored, identifying at-risk factors
for students becomes imperative for providing direction to
develop programs that facilitate academic success. Identi-
fication by students in this study that they were not
confident about meeting their physiological needs makes it
essential to address their concerns. For students with
apprehension regarding these issues, faculty and staff can
ensure that students are aware of financial and community
resources to help defray concerns and costs in meeting
their physiological needs.
Psychosocial needs may be manifested in a student's
inability to cope with the demands of collegiate education.
Students' lack of knowledge about the ineffective behaviors
they exhibit in response to stress causes added distress for the
students, faculty, and staff. Resources to address student
needs may be found in a variety of community and health
care services. It is imperative that faculty and staff recognize
and refer students to appropriate resources because this
inability to meet needs may put the student at-risk from the
beginning of the program.
This study suggests that female students have higher
psychosocial needs than male students. These psychosocial
needs can be addressed through learning communities,
study groups, student nurse support groups, and participa-
tion in a student nurses' association, as well as other support
groups and social learning strategies. Encouraging collab-
oration and communication with existing support persons or
groups may also facilitate learning for female students.
Assumptions about the impact of test-taking anxiety,
family responsibilities, health status, psychological stress,
and economic instability impacting performance in the
classroom and clinical setting are supported by this study.
Once needs that place students at risk are identified, the
needs can be addressed through discussion and possibly
through the creation of support services to promote student
success. Analyzing student needs will identify concerns and
issues that impact achieving academic success, even in the
earliest stage of academic preparation.
Faculty and administration may provide students insight
in regard to student behaviors and the ramifications of these
behaviors for others. Student success may be facilitated by
connecting students with the resources and support to
address behaviors that are counterproductive. Early detection
and intervention of untoward behaviors by educators are
integral in facilitating student retention and subsequent
progression in the program.
Faculty and administrators need to be aware of students'
decreased ability to meet needs when they are in school.
Students are not always aware of what resources are needed
or how to access them. A way to help students meet these
needs is by generating and publicizing resources for student
learning, as well as creating policies and learning experi-
F.A. Freitas, L.J. Leonard
ences that assist students to meet their needs. Community- or
collegiate-based child care information can be shared with
students as part of admission information for students to use
at their discretion. Scholarship information and contact
information for community support services should be
available and easily accessible for students entering the
college or program. Community resources for food, clothing,
and shelter should be accessible and available to students so
they can meet their needs. A reference list of emergency
services including mental health resources such as drug and
alcohol recovery centers and rape and domestic violence
shelters should be available and accessible to students.
Providing access to these and other resources may help
students to meet their needs and to be better able to attain
professional attributes.
Although we are dealing with adult students, faculty,
administrators, and staff have a responsibility to try to
assist students in their development and learning. Through
a longitudinal study with students, the authors hope to
discover other factors or changes that impact student
success. Faculty perspectives on attributes and student
success will also be investigated to compare student and
faculty perspectives on attributes.
As the most trusted profession, nursing is strategically
placed to impact the health and well-being of the community,
starting with its students (The American Nurse, 2010). As a
profession, the influence of nursing is pervasive, and our
numbers are staggering. With one voice, we, as a profession,
could change the world. It is time to change our world for the
better, one student, one program, one profession at a time.
In joyful remembrance of Richard Zeller PhD, our friend
and colleague who showed us the value of nurses in research.
He is greatly missed. His memory lives on in our continued
efforts in applying research to improve the human condition.
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