Exploring the Relationship Between Learning Styles, Motivation, and Academic Achievement Among Baccalaureate Nursing Students at Ninevah University

Background: Effective nursing education requires understanding how students learn and what motivates them. Learning styles and motivation play a critical role in shaping academic performance, yet little is known about how these factors interact among nursing students in Iraq.Objective: This study aimed to explore the relationship between learning styles, motivation types (intrinsic and extrinsic), and academic achievement among baccalaureate nursing students at Ninevah University. It also examined how these variables varied by academic level and gender.Methods: A descriptive-correlational, cross-sectional study was conducted with 200 undergraduate nursing students. Validated instruments were used to assess learning style preferences (visual, auditory, kinesthetic), intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and academic achievement (GPA). Statistical tools included Pearson correlation, multiple regression, t-tests, and ANOVA. The theoretical framework was based on Dorothea Orems Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory.Results: Visual learning was most common (40%), followed by auditory (35%) and kinesthetic (25%). Despite being the least common, kinesthetic learners achieved the highest academic performance (mean = 82.9 5.4). Intrinsic motivation dominated (60%) and had a strong positive correlation with academic performance (r = 0.68, p < 0.01). Intrinsic motivation and kinesthetic learning style emerged as significant predictors of academic achievement.Conclusion: Kinesthetic learning and intrinsic motivation significantly enhance academic success among nursing students. These findings support the integration of student-centered, experiential learning strategies in nursing education to improve outcomes and foster self-directed learning, in line with Orems theoretical model.