An Exploratory Study of Factors Associated with Medical Students’ Self-Reported Online Innovative Behavior in Online Learning Environments: A Mediation Analysis

Background: Cultivating medical students’ innovative behavior is crucial for talent development in medical education. However, the factors associated with medical students’ innovative behavior are still unclear. The aim was to examine factors associated with self-reported online innovative behavior of medical students. Methods: A cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted at a public medical university in China. A total of 371 medical undergraduates participated in the study. Data were collected with questionnaires on students’ abilities scales and analyzed with SPSS 26 and AMOS 26. The associations among constructs were analyzed through structural equation modeling. Results: Results showed that both digital resilience and technological self-efficacy were positively associated with medical students’ self-reported online innovative behavior. Statistically significant indirect associations were found between digital resilience and self-reported online innovative behavior through online learning engagement and self-directed learning behaviors. Statistically significant indirect associations were also found between technological self-efficacy and self-reported online innovative behavior through online learning engagement and self-directed learning behaviors. Conclusions: Digital resilience and technological self-efficacy were directly and indirectly associated with medical students’ self-reported online innovative behavior in online learning environments. The results provide useful empirical insights for understanding students’ self-reported online innovative behavior in online learning environments.