Incidence of "stress syndrome" or type A personality in medical students

ABSTRACT

1. To assess the frequency of type A personality in medical students. 2. To compare different personality types of medical students from 1st to final year. A cross sectional study. This study was conducted at the Department of Community Medicine, SMC, DUHS, Karachi from 15th, May to 25th, November 2010. A sample size of 140 students was drawn by using systemic random sampling; every 22nd student from each year was selected according to the roll numbers from first year to final year in Sindh, Dow Medical College and Karachi. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire. Three personalities [Type A, Type AB, Type B] Personality Types Type B Scores 0-35 Personality Types Type AB Scores 36-45 Personality Types Type A Scores 46-80. Out of 140 students, 42 were males, 69 were females. The results showed Type A personality was 82.9%, Type AB 16.4%, TYPE B was 0.7%. Students having type A personality in first year were 92.85%, in second year 100%, in third year 46.4%, in fourth year 85.7%, in final 89.2%. Type A personality in males were found to be 92.30% as compared to females 83.67%. Students who took their tasks very seriously 45%, easily got Irritated 51.4%, Restless during studies 32.1%, dissatisfied with task performed 49.3%, Work conscious 43.6%. On the basis of these results majority of the medical students fall in the category of type A personality, surprisingly 100% students of 2nd year fall in type A category. The study proved major population of medical students had Type A personality which showed they were tensed, impatience, aggressiveness, time conscious, concerned about their studies, highly competitive, ambitious, vulnerable to stress related diseases