Unraveling the interplay of stress, cognitive failure, and academic self-efficacy among postgraduate nursing candidates: a mediational path analysis

Background Cognitive failure, the inability to perform everyday mental tasks, can be exacerbated by stress, particularly in demanding academic environments such as graduate nursing education. This study examined the relationships between cognitive failure, perceived stress, and academic self-efficacy among postgraduate nursing students. Methods A cross-sectional, correlational study was conducted using stratified sampling to recruit 268 postgraduate nursing students from two Egyptian universities. Data were collected through individual structured interviews using validated Arabic versions of the Cognitive Failure Questionnaire (CFQ), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and Sherer’s General Self-Efficacy Scale (SGSES). Pearson’s correlation assessed the relationships among variables. Independent t-tests and one-way ANOVA were used to compare mean scores across demographic groups. Multiple linear regression identified predictors of self-efficacy. Finally, path analysis using AMOS was conducted to test the mediating effect of cognitive failure on the relationship between stress and academic self-efficacy. Results Females reported higher cognitive failures than males (M = 53.20 vs. 38.78, p < 0.001). Cognitive failure was positively correlated with stress (r = 0.181, p = 0.003) and negatively correlated with self-efficacy (r = − 0.241, p < 0.001). Stress also showed a negative correlation with self-efficacy (r = − 0.207, p = 0.001). Multiple regression revealed that both cognitive failure (β = − 0.170, p = 0.001) and perceived stress (β = − 0.483, p = 0.005) were significant predictors of reduced self-efficacy, accounting for 7.9% of the variance (R² = 0.079, F = 12.435, p < 0.001). Path analysis confirmed that cognitive failure partially mediated the relationship between stress and self-efficacy (indirect effect = − 0.025, p < 0.001; model fit: CFI = 0.918, RMSEA = 0.093). Conclusion The findings underscore the mediating role of cognitive failure in the relationship between perceived stress and academic self-efficacy. Interventions focused on reducing stress and enhancing cognitive performance may effectively bolster academic self-efficacy and success among graduate nursing students. A clinical trial number Not applicable.