LAUSR

BACKGROUND Psychological Capital (PsyCap) consists of a set of internal resources an individual can access to navigate challenges and enhance job performance, satisfaction, and overall success. External factors within the academic environment may influence PsyCap. PURPOSE The purpose was to explore PsyCap among nursing faculty and the impact of external factors on PsyCap and intent to seek leadership development. METHODS An exploratory descriptive study was conducted to examine nursing faculty's perceptions of their level of PsyCap through the Psychological Capital Questionnaire. RESULTS Seventy nursing faculty participated. Faculty yield higher levels of PsyCap (M = 4.5). The level of PsyCap did not correlate with intent to seek leadership development. Results also suggested that organizational support was a positive predictor of PsyCap (β= .26, t = 2.4, P = .021), and incentives for development were close to significant (P = .058). CONCLUSIONS External factors can hinder, promote, and predict PsyCap, yielding both personal and professional implications; however, further exploration is warranted.