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Becoming a self-directed learner is therefore crucial for academic success and continued professional growth. However, intrinsic (student-related) factors can challenge students\u2019 efforts to engage in effective self-directed learning, especially in these demanding subjects. Despite this, little is known about which intrinsic factors first-year nursing students perceive as hindering their self-directed learning in biosciences, and whether these differ between younger and mature students. Understanding these intrinsic factors in detail is thus essential for nurse educators who support nursing students\u2019 learning in anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry. The aim of the study was to explore and compare intrinsic factors that challenge young and mature nursing students\u2019 engagement in self-directed learning of anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>An exploratory qualitative design was employed. Written responses from 98 first-year nursing students were collected in November 2024. Each response was approximately 150 words in length. The students answered an open-ended question about contextual and intrinsic factors hindering self-directed learning in anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry, submitted via the university\u2019s digital learning platform. The responses were analysed using qualitative content analysis, with a comparative component between two age-defined groups (younger and mature students).<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>Four categories of intrinsic factors that challenge first-year nursing students\u2019 self-directed learning in anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry were identified: (1) Challenges with effective study techniques in self-directed learning, (2) Challenges with motivation in self-directed learning, (3) Health-related constraints on self-directed learning, and (4) Procrastination in self-directed learning.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>\n                  <jats:sec>\n                    <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                    <jats:p>The results revealed intrinsic factors that challenged self-directed learning in anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry among nursing students. The results underscore the need for nurse educators and institutions to recognize and address the intrinsic factors when designing learning environments and support strategies, in order to better facilitate effective self-directed learning in foundational subjects in nursing.<\/jats:p>\n                  <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-026-09892-3","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]],"date-time":"2026-07-09T02:27:02Z","timestamp":1783564022000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Distinct patterns in study techniques and intrinsic challenges in nursing students\u2019 self-directed learning: an exploratory, comparative qualitative study"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"26","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1490-9341","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Monika","family":"Ravik","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-2631-3141","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Charlotte","family":"Weider","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-7186-5110","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hanne","family":"N\u00f8rbygaard Bjerva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1074-0729","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Karin","family":"B\u00f6lenius","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"9892_CR1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nedt.2024.106158","volume":"137","author":"VO Berre","year":"2024","unstructured":"Berre VO, Knutstad U, Jensen KT. 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Approval was obtained from the Norwegian Agency for Shared Services in Education and Research (project No. 815027) and from the participating university (the Head of the Faculty of Health and Social Sciences) prior to data collection. In line with national regulations, separate ethics committee approval was not required.\u2022 Participation was voluntary and clearly separated from course requirements and assessments. Students received written and oral information about the study's purpose, the use of their written responses, and their right to withdraw at any time without consequences. Those who agreed to take part provided written informed consent.\u2022 To safeguard anonymity and confidentiality, all identifying information was removed from the written responses, and each response was assigned a unique code. Age was retained only at group level to enable the comparative analysis. Data were stored securely and were were accessible only to the research team. The written responses were used solely for the research purposes, and no information that could lead to the identification of individual participants has been reported.\u2022 In reporting health-related information, we took particular care to avoid overinterpretation and potential identification. ADHD and dyslexia were mentioned only when students themselves explicitly referred to having a formal diagnosis in their written responses (e.g., \u201cI have been diagnosed with ADHD\u2026\u201d). We did not infer ADHD from general concentration or reading difficulties. Such information is reported only at group level and in a way that prevents identification of individual participants.","order":1,"name":"Ethics","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":2,"name":"Ethics","label":"Consent for publication","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}},{"value":"The authors declare no competing interests.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","label":"Competing interests","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Declarations"}}],"article-number":"1579"}}