Background: Academic achievement is influenced by several parameters, such as self-efficacy, critical thinking, thinking styles and emotional intelligence. The present study was conducted to examine the relationship between academic achievement and self-efficacy, critical thinking, thinking styles and emotional intelligence in nursing students. 

  Methods: The present descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted on a statistical population consisting of all the nursing students of the Islamic Azad University of Varamin-Pishva Branch. A total of 140 nursing students (96 female and 44 male) were selected through stratified random sampling. All the study subjects completed Sherer's general self-efficacy scale, Ricketts' critical thinking disposition questionnaire, Sternberg's thinking styles inventory and the Bar-On emotional intelligence questionnaire. Data were analyzed in SPSS/19 using the Pearson correlation coefficient and the stepwise regression.

  Result: The present study revealed a significant positive relationship (P<0.05) between academic achievement and self-efficacy (r=0.46), critical thinking (r=0.17), executive thinking (r=0.37) and emotional intelligence (r=0.21). In a predictor model studying self-efficacy, executive thinking and emotional intelligence, the researchers were able to predict about 39% of academic achievement. Self-efficacy was a better predictor of academic achievement than the other parameters.

  Conclusion: Self-efficacy, executive thinking, emotional intelligence and critical thinking therefore had a positive relationship with academic achievement, in respective order of importance.