Sources of Stress and Coping Strategies among Undergraduate Medical Students Enrolled in a Problem-Based Learning Curriculum

Abstract

Background. Medical education is rated as one of the most difficult trainings to endure. Throughout their undergraduate years, medical students face numerous stressors. Coping with these stressors requires access to a variety of resources, varying from personal strengths to social support. We aimed to explore the perceived stress, stressors, and coping strategies employed by medical students studying in a problem-based learning curriculum. Methodology. This is a cross-sectional study of randomly selected medical students that explored demographics, perceived stress scale, sources of stress, and coping strategies. Results. Of the 378 medical students that participated in the study, males were 59.3% and females 40.7%. Nearly 53% of the students often felt stressed, and a third felt that they could not cope with stress. Over 82% found studying stressful and 64.3% were not sleeping well. Half of the students reported low self-esteem. Perceived stress scores were statistically significantly high for specific stressors of studying in general, worrying about future, interpersonal conflict, and having low self-esteem. Coping strategies that were statistically significantly applied more often were blaming oneself and being self-critical, seeking advice and help from others, and finding comfort in religion. Female students were more stressed than males but they employ more coping strategies as well. Conclusions. Stress is very common among medical students. Most of the stressors are from coursework and interpersonal relationships. Low self-esteem coupled with self-blame and self-criticism is quite common.

Stress among Nursing and Midwifery Students Offering a Top-Up Module in the University of Health and Allied Health Sciences, Ho

“…This finding supports that of Elias, Ping and Abdullah (2011) who reported a mean academic stress score among second-year undergraduate students compared to their first-year counterparts [26]. Health science education gets difficult as students progress to higher levels of study [27]. As students move from one level of study to another, there is an increase in academic demands coupled with environmental and personal burden and hence could account for higher percentage stress [26].…”

Perceived stress and coping strategies among post graduate students of a medical college in Thrissur, Kerala

“…Religious coping was frequently adopted as a coping measure by the students, while use of alcohol or other drugs was found to be rare. 15 Sreeramareddy et al found positive reframing and planning as the coping strategies commonly used by students in their institution in Nepal. 16 It is pertinent on the part of medical educators to assess the stressors and various coping strategies of their students at the beginning as well as during the course of their medical education and mentor them to use desirable coping strategies to reduce stress, which will eventually help the society to have better doctors.…”

Stress and Students Mindset

“…Stress can decreased students motivation that can also leads to absenteeism and incompletion of school works (Sasikala, Hemamalini, & Ashok, 2018). Study shows that females experience stress more than males (Bamuhair, Farhan, Althubaiti, Agha, Rahman, & Ibrahim, 2015). Stress can also reduce or lessen students enjoyment, achievement, and has an impact on relationship (Mazumdar, Gogo, International Journal of Social Science Research ISSN 2327-5510 2020 Buragohan, & Haloi, 2012).…”