Psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT-2012) Among Nursing Students

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into nursing education is essential for equipping future nurses with the skills required to navigate an increasingly technology-driven healthcare environment. This study aimed to validate the Arabic version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT-2012) model in assessing factors influencing nursing students’ acceptance and use of AI in healthcare education. A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted with 200 nursing students to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic-translated UTAUT (2012) instrument. Confirmatory factor analysis was performed using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) in SmartPLS (Version 4.1.0). Confirmatory factor analysis supported the construct validity of the nine UTAUT 2012 constructs: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, price value, habit, behavioral intention, and use behavior. All items showed acceptable factor loadings (> .5), composite and construct reliability (> 0.7), and average variance extracted (> 0.5). Discriminant validity was confirmed using the Fornell-Larcker criterion and the heterotrait-monotrait ratio. The findings offer valuable insights into the factors influencing Arabic-speaking nursing students’ acceptance and use of AI in healthcare education, supporting the model’s validity in this cultural context.