Mediating Role of Intrinsic Learning Motivation in the Relationship Between Future Time Perspective and Classroom Disengagement Among Chinese Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Nursing students in higher education institutions are future frontline healthcare providers, operating in a complex and demanding field. In such educational contexts, maintaining high levels of academic engagement, a cornerstone of effective learning and professional development, is increasingly challenged by various external educational factors and the internal learning motivations of the students. This study aims to bridge this gap by examining the influence of future time perspective (FTP) on nursing students' classroom disengagement behavior, mediated by intrinsic learning motivation (ILM), and to provide practical implications for enhancing nursing education quality worldwide. Methods This cross-sectional study used convenience sampling to survey 889 nursing students from six universities in Shaanxi Province from December 2024 to March 2025. The instruments included the Future Time Perspective Scale, the Intrinsic Learning Motivation Scale, and the Classroom Disengagement Scale. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 for descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and mediation analysis. Results A total of 920 nursing students completed the questionnaires, resulting in 889 valid responses (96.6% response rate). Invalid questionnaires were primarily due to incomplete data. The average score on the Classroom Disengagement Scale was 88.055 ± 12.085, with a range from 40 to 120. Pearson correlation analysis showed a moderate positive relationship between future time perspective and intrinsic learning motivation ( r  = 0.613, P  < 0.01), and strong negative correlations between intrinsic learning motivation and classroom disengagement ( r = -0.738, P  < 0.01), and between future time perspective and classroom disengagement ( r = -0.743, P  < 0.01). Mediation analysis, using the Bootstrap method, indicated that intrinsic learning motivation significantly mediated the relationship between future time perspective and classroom disengagement, with an indirect effect of -0.279 (95% CI: -0.319, -0.241). Conclusion The findings of this study highlight the significant roles of future time perspective and intrinsic learning motivation in influencing classroom disengagement among nursing students, with intrinsic learning motivation acting as a mediator. Universities should consider implementing strategies to cultivate a positive future time perspective and enhance intrinsic learning motivation among nursing students, with the aim of reducing classroom disengagement and improving the quality of nursing education.