The interplay between research expectations and perceived barriers: a mediation analysis among Chinese medical undergraduates

Table 2 Measurement items of the 5-point likert scale form construct

Construct	Items	Reference
Perceived expectations
ex1	How important do you think participating in research activities is for your future development?	[4, 16,17,18]
ex2	How important do you think research activities are for improving research skills?	[4, 5, 17]
ex3	How important do you think research activities are for building resilience?	[19]
ex4	How important do you think research activities are for developing critical thinking?	[5, 17]
Perceived barriers
ba1	How significant is the lack of mentorship in undergraduate research?	[17, 18, 20]
ba2	How significant is the heavy academic workload in affecting undergraduate research?	[18, 21, 22]
ba3	How significant is the lack of relevant knowledge and skills in undergraduate research?	[4, 17, 23]
ba4	How significant is the lack of funding and laboratory space in undergraduate research?	[4, 20, 24]
Research Interest	What is your interest in scientific research?	[18, 23, 24]

ISSN: 1472-6920