ABSTRACT
Background?Psychological morbidities are high among undergraduate medical students. They experience the transition between pre-/para-clinical and clinical training as a stressful period, and cope differently. Research studies from India in this regard are lacking. Aims?The aim of this study is to assess and compare the prevalence of psychological morbidities and their respective associated factors and coping styles between pre-/para-clinical and clinical undergraduate medical students. Materials and Methods?This institution-based cross-sectional observational design study was conducted among undergraduate medical students (a total of 382) in pre-/para-clinical and clinical years by using a questionnaire in the period between April and June 2019. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select the study participants. The survey included standard self-administered questionnaires like General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ-28) and Lin–Chen's coping inventory to assess psychological morbidities and coping styles, respectively. Associated factors for psychological morbidities and coping styles between two groups were compared using the Chi-square test, independent t-test, and binary logistic regression analysis. Results?Out of the 382 responders, psychological morbidities (GHQ-28 score?>?23) were found in 61% participants. Both groups reported high levels of psychological morbidities; a slightly higher preponderance in clinical (61.5%) than in pre-/para-clinical students (60.6%) with a nonsignificant difference. Compared with the pre-/para-clinical group, the clinical group was found to have more substance consumption behavior (p?<?0.001), dissatisfaction with academic performance (p?<?0.001), sought psychiatric consultation (p?<?0.004), and at that time on psychiatric treatment (p?<?0.04). Active problem coping behavior was more significantly used by the pre-/para-clinical group, while passive problem coping and passive emotional coping behaviors were positively significantly correlated with psychological morbidities in the clinical group. Conclusion?This study suggests a significant correlation between psychological morbidities and passive coping styles in the clinical group. These students need interventions to encourage the use of more active coping styles during training to provide advances in future career. A strong correlation between psychological morbidities and dissatisfied academic performance may be a call for an efficient and more student-friendly curriculum.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Students’ perception of the environment within which they study has been shown to have a significant impact on their behaviour, academic progress and sense of well-being. The study, by way of student perceptions recorded on the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) inventory, reveals the strength & weakness of educational environment at our institute. This understanding can be aided for refining the learning environment. Method: Perceptions of students recorded by DREEM inventory anon-ymously and mean global scores and domain scores were expressed as mean + standard deviation (SD). Result was recorded gender wise and the difference in the result of male and female compared using rank sum test to see if the difference between the perception is significant or not. Result: Students’ Perceptions of Learning: The mean domain score was 31.40/48 (SD 4.63) Students’ Perceptions of Teachers: The grouped mean SPT score was 28.24 /44 (SD 4.63) Students’ academic self-Perceptions: The grouped mean score was 22.05 /32 (SD 4.9) Students’ Perceptions of Atmosphere: The grouped mean score was 31.30/48 (SD 5.5) Students’ Social Self-Perceptions: The grouped mean SSP score was 17.70/28 (SD 3.9). Female students indicated a more pos-itive perception of their environment than did males on almost all aspects. Conclusion: Study using DREEM inventory revealed problematic areas of learning environment in our medical school, which help us in de-ciding priority areas for reform of educational environment.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Students’ perception of the environment within which they study has been shown to have a significant impact on their behaviour, academic progress and sense of well-being. The study, by way of student perceptions recorded on the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) inventory, reveals the strength & weakness of educational environment at our institute. This understanding can be aided for refining the learning environment. Method: Perceptions of students recorded by DREEM inventory anon-ymously and mean global scores and domain scores were expressed as mean + standard deviation (SD). Result was recorded gender wise and the difference in the result of male and female compared using rank sum test to see if the difference between the perception is significant or not. Result: Students’ Perceptions of Learning: The mean domain score was 31.40/48 (SD 4.63) Students’ Perceptions of Teachers: The grouped mean SPT score was 28.24 /44 (SD 4.63) Students’ academic self-Perceptions: The grouped mean score was 22.05 /32 (SD 4.9) Students’ Perceptions of Atmosphere: The grouped mean score was 31.30/48 (SD 5.5) Students’ Social Self-Perceptions: The grouped mean SSP score was 17.70/28 (SD 3.9). Female students indicated a more pos-itive perception of their environment than did males on almost all aspects. Conclusion: Study using DREEM inventory revealed problematic areas of learning environment in our medical school, which help us in de-ciding priority areas for reform of educational environment.