Student engagement has been identified as a predictor to academic success in the literature. Engagement is described as a multidimensional construct which includes behavioral, cognitive, and emotional factors. One dimension of engagement, emotional engagement (EE), is a strong predictor of student outcomes in education related to learning, grades, achievement, and retention. EE is defined as the level of inter-connectedness involving the emotional, or affective domain, creating cognitive and behavioral responses to a stimulus within the environment. Students who are emotionally engaged are intrinsically motivated to achieve learning outcomes and participate in class in the college setting. While a number of factors have been linked to EE in motivating students, limited evidence exists for predictors of EE in online graduate students.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among autonomy, competence, relatedness, and emotional engagement among graduate nursing students in the online learning environment.

The theoretical framework used to guide this study was the Basic Needs Theory, a mini-theory of the Self-Determination Theory. This theory posits that when the psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness are met, student learning processes, student psychological well-being is evident therefore driving student academic success. Students who are emotionally engaged also experience greater psychological well-being in the learning environment.

Online graduate nursing students who were members of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) online Graduate Nursing Student Academy (GNSA) collaboration community and LinkedInRTM served as the sample. Data were collected using the Online Learning Engagement Scale, the Basic Needs Satisfaction in General Scale, and a demographic questionnaire. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics for online graduate nursing students and each research variable as well as multiple regression analysis to determine relationships between and among the variables.

The findings of this study revealed no statistically significant relationship between autonomy or relatedness and emotional engagement. There was a predictive relationship between competence and emotional engagement.

The results of this study have implications for nursing science, nursing education, and nursing practice in advancing the science of nursing for the future. Emotional engagement is evident in online graduate nursing students and competence This was the first study to examine autonomy, competence, and relatedness as predictors of emotional engagement in online graduate nursing students. Findings from this study may assist faculty teaching in online learning environments in understanding predictors of student engagement. The results of this study may inform changes in online course and content delivery in higher education.