Abstract: Objective To explore the associations between parental parenting style,reasons for choosing the major,academic performance on vocational identity and professional identity among midwifery students. Methods From March to May 2023,a survey was conducted using the professional identity questionnaire and vocational identity questionnaire via Wenjuanxing among 868 randomly selected undergraduate students majoring in midwifery at a medical college in Taian City of Shandong Province. SPSS 22.0 was used to perform descriptive analysis,one-way ANOVA and multiple linear regression. There were statistically significant differences in the professional identity scores of midwifery students with different grades,parental parenting styles, employment as student leaders, participation in various activities, admission methods, reason for choosing the major, and academic performance(all P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the occupational identity scores of midwifery students with different grades, parental parenting styles, participation in various activities, admission methods, reasons for choosing the major, and academic performance(all P<0.05). The PROCESS macro model 6.3 in SPSS was used to conduct mediation effect analysis. Results The total score of professional identity and vocational identity among midwifery students was (55.53±12.79) and (63.09±13.12)points,respectively. The parental parenting style was significantly negatively correlated with vocational identity and professional identity(β=-0.062,-0.487,both P<0.01),while the reasons for choosing the major and academic performance were significantly positively correlated with professional identity(β=0.178,0.184,both P<0.01). Bootstrap test results revealed that parental parenting style,reasons for choosing the major and academic performance had significant mediating effects on the relationship between vocational identity and professional identity. The parental parenting style and academic performance had significant mediating effects on the relationship between vocational identity and professional identity,while reasons for choosing the major and academic performance had significant mediating effects on the relationship between vocational identity and professional identity,and these mediating effects accounted for 16.05% of the total effect. Conclusions The professional identity of midwifery students is at a relatively low level,and their vocational identity is at a medium to high level. The parental parenting style,reasons for choosing the major,and academic performance partially mediate the relationship between vocational identity and professional identity. The midwifery educators should improve the levels of professional identity and vocational identity of midwifery students,pay attention to the positive guidance of parental parenting style,reasonable learning motivation,and good academic performance.

Key words: Midwifery, Professional identity, Vocational identity, Parenting style, Study style, Mediating effects