Exploring the Association and Dissociation Between Lectures and Practicums in the Process of Learning Experience in Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Education: a Qualitative Study in Japan

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p><jats:bold>Objective: </jats:bold>This study aimed to clarify the process of students’ experience of learning to identify association and dissociation between lectures and practicums in psychiatric and mental health nursing (PMHN) education at a university.<jats:bold>Methods: </jats:bold>An interview survey of 21 students from a regional national university in Japan was conducted, and the interview data were analyzed with a modified grounded theory approach.<jats:bold>Results:</jats:bold> The analysis identified 12 categories and 32 concepts regarding the process of learning experience in PMHN among university nursing students. Through lectures, the students accomplished “self-developmental knowledge retention” or “acquisition of superficial knowledge about PMHN” toward “formation of learning attitude based on life experience.” The outcomes of lectures significantly affected practicums; the former possibly resulted in “non-discovery of significance of practicums;” however, the latter possibly approached “developmental self-learning.”<jats:bold>Discussion:</jats:bold> The association between students’ interests based on life experience and contents of lectures affected practicums, and the lecture design readily imaginable from students’ experience was desirable. Practicums must be built on teaching strategies that make students aware of the particularity of communication.</jats:p>