Distress and coping in third year, 2020–2201 Portuguese medicine students

Abstract Background Medical students are often exposed to stressors, studies showing that one third of them suffers from depression, a larger figure then the general population and more vulnerable to stress comparing to other courses’ students. The use of coping strategies when medical students are in distress must be studied and then discussed with students. Methods Prospective cohort analytical study with two points in time evaluation, in a quasi-random sample, representative of the 3rd year students in the 2020/2021 school year. An epidemiological survey, Patient Health Questionnaire–4 (PHQ-4) and BRIEF-COPE were applied. In between evaluations results were presented two discussions and motivational interventions being made. Results In samples of n = 101 3rd year students in September, and n = 112 students in November students’ distress by PHQ-4 (P < 0.001), was worst in November and ‘Expression of feelings’ (P = 0.004) was more used in November in Brief-Cope questionnaire use. Increased use of coping strategies ‘Expression of feelings’ (P = 0.004) and ‘Planning’ (P = 0.045) and a decrease of ‘Substances abuse’ (P = 0.020) were found from September to November. A significant distress increase was verified in such period of time (P < 0.001). In November significant weak positive correlation, between the level of distress and the items in BRIEF-COPE, for the strategies ‘Use emotional support’, ‘Positive reinterpretation’, ‘Acceptance’, ‘Self-distraction’ and ‘Substance use’ and a significant negative correlation in the items ‘Plan’, ‘Self-blame’, ‘Behavioural divestment’ and ‘Humour’ were found. Conclusions A noteworthy rise in distress was found. Students significantly altered some coping tactics even though distress increased. These findings are troublesome and deserve further studies and attention.

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Anxiety Status and Coping Strategies in Association with Sociodemographic Factors, Dietary and Lifestyle Habits in Greece

Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health ◽

10.2174/1745017902117010152 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 17 (1) ◽

pp. 152-160

Author(s):

Maria Batsikoura ◽

Sofia Zyga ◽

Foteini Tzavella ◽

Athanasios Sachlas ◽

Andrea Paola Rojas Gil

Keyword(s):

Coping Strategies ◽

Dietary Habits ◽

Multivariate Regression Analysis ◽

Sociodemographic Factors ◽

Healthy Population ◽

Nutritional Habits ◽

Self Blame ◽

Brief Cope ◽

Positive Reframing ◽

And Coping

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nutritional habits, lifestyle, anxiety, and coping strategies. Background: Anxiety is an underestimated and often undiagnosed subclinical disorder that burdens the general public of modern societies and increases illness suscentibility. Methods: The study group consisted of 693 individuals living in Peloponnese, Greece. A standardized questionnaire that consists of the dietary habits and lifestyle questionnaire, the trait Anxiety STAI-X-2 questionnaire and the brief-COPE questionnaire, was used. Principal components analysis identified the factors from the questionnaires, and stepwise multivariate regression analysis investigated their relationships. Results: Weekly consumption of fruits, tomatoes, salads and lettuce, together with Εmotional/Ιnstrumental support, Denial/Behavioural disengagement, substance use and self-blame, was the most important predictors of anxiety scores. Positive reframing/Humour and Acceptance/Planning are also associated with the Positive STAI factor and decreased anxiety scores. Conclusion: Healthy nutritional habits, comprised of consumption of salads and fruits, together with adaptive coping strategies, such as Positive reframing/Humour and Active problem solving, may provide the most profound improvement in the anxiety levels of a healthy population in Peloponnese, Greece.

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Anxiety, Difficulties, and Coping of Infertile Women

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9040466 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 466

Author(s):

Diana Antonia Iordăchescu ◽

Corina Ioana Paica ◽

Alina Estera Boca ◽

Corina Gică ◽

Anca Maria Panaitescu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Coping Strategies ◽

State Anxiety ◽

Adaptive Coping ◽

State Trait Anxiety Inventory ◽

Infertile Women ◽

Self Blame ◽

Brief Cope ◽

And Coping ◽

The Relationship ◽

Very High

The present study aims to highlight how women perceive and adapt to infertility difficulties. To better understand the difficulties that women diagnosed with infertility are experiencing, the study explores this concept in correlation with anxiety and coping. 240 women with fertility problems from various parts of Romania completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-Form Y), Brief COPE and the scale “Difficulties With Infertility and Its Treatment.” Statistical analyzes showed that women who were at the beginning of treatment obtained higher scores on the anxiety [F(2,237) = 4.76, p = 0.009] and on the difficulties scale [F(2,237) = 3.53, p = 0.031], compared to participants who resorted to repeated fertilization procedures. It is important to emphasize that there is a significant positive correlation between the perception of infertility difficulties and coping, and also between difficulties and state anxiety. Regarding the relationship between state anxiety and coping, there were significant positive associations between maladaptive coping strategies and state anxiety, while adaptive strategies were negatively associated with state anxiety. In addition, regarding coping strategies, venting and self-blame occurred predominantly in women who know that the cause of infertility is female-related. These findings draws attention to the fact that infertile women live this experience at very high levels of anxiety, using quite a few adaptive coping mechanisms. These results highlight the need to investigate ways to reduce anxiety and optimizing adaptive coping strategies.

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STRESS, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND COPING STRATEGIES OF PARENTS OF INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED AND NON-DISABLED CHILDREN

Journal of Medical Sciences ◽

10.52764/jms.20.28.4.17 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 380-383

Author(s):

Naeema Arzeen ◽

Erum Irshad ◽

Saima Arzeen ◽

Syed Mubashar Shah

Keyword(s):

Coping Strategies ◽

Depression And Anxiety ◽

Disabled Children ◽

Intellectually Disabled ◽

Depression Anxiety Stress Scale ◽

Self Blame ◽

Brief Cope ◽

Mean Differences ◽

And Coping ◽

Coping Patterns

Objectives: The current study investigated the differences on stress, depression, anxiety, and coping strategies of parents of intellectually disabled and non-disabled children. Material and Methods: Sample consisted of parents (N=300) that was further divided into two groups (parents of intellectually disabled children; n=150 and parents of non-disabled children; n=150). Data was collected from Peshawar, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and Wah Cantt; for this purpose consent form, demographic information sheet, along with two standardized scales Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-42) and Brief COPE were given to the parents of disabled children and non-disabled children. Results: The study shows that significant mean differences were observed on DASS; intellectually disabled children’s parents reported higher stress, depression, and anxiety than non-disabled children’s parents. Non-significant mean differences were observed in subscale of Brief COPE, except on self-blame in which parents of intellectually disabled children scores were higher as compared to the parents of non-disabled children. Conclusion: The findings depicted that disability raises extra burden on the parents which promoted stress, depression, and anxiety. After developing these psychopathologies parents became over sensitive and got emotional and used emotion based coping patterns. They easily blame themselves for the disability and all the problems which are directly linked with it.

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Medical Students’ Mental Health Status and Coping Strategies in Their Quarantine Period During COVID-19 Pandemic in Universiti Putra Malaysia

Education in Medicine Journal ◽

10.21315/eimj2021.13.4.6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 71-84

Author(s):

Razif Abas ◽

◽

Halimatus Sakdiah Minhat ◽

Suhainizam Muhamad Saliluddin ◽

Rusliza Basir ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Health Status ◽

Medical Students ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Likert Scale ◽

Mental Health Status ◽

Sudden Increase ◽

Cumulative Number ◽

Brief Cope ◽

And Coping

Movement control order (MCO) was enforced by the Malaysian government on 18th March 2020 due to sudden increase in the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases. University students, including medical students, were among the group of the population which were significantly affected. This study was conducted among medical students in Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) to compare the mental health status and coping strategies, between gender and phase of the clinical study related to their quarantine status between 18th March 2020 to 9th June 2020. This was a cross-sectional study involving the undergraduate medical students in UPM in the academic year of 2019/2020 during the MCO. A stratified random sampling method was used; a total of 173 respondents which includes students of Year 1 to Year 5 participated. The study was conducted after five months since the first day of MCO, for one week period of data collection. The mental health status was assessed using Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale 21-item (DASS-21) questionnaire. Four-point Likert scale was scored to determine the degree of severity. The coping strategies was assessed using Brief-COPE (Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced) in which four-point Likert scale was used as well, and the total marks were grouped into four coping strategies. This study found higher scores of DASS-21 in the non-quarantined group and approach method was considered as a favourable coping strategy in both groups. In the quarantined group, female and clinical students showed higher scores of DASS-21. In the non-quarantined group, clinical students showed a significantly higher score of stress while male students significantly used their humour as coping strategies.

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ASSOCIATION OF PERCEIVED STRESS AND COPING STRATEGIES WITH DEPRESSIVE SYMPTOMS IN STUDENTS AT A PRIVATE MEDICAL COLLEGE IN ISLAMABAD

Pakistan Armed Forces Medical Journal ◽

10.51253/pafmj.v71i5.4770 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 71 (5) ◽

pp. 1676-81

Author(s):

Sawera Mansoor ◽

Nadia Azad ◽

Usama Bin Zubair ◽

Khalid Hayat Khan

Keyword(s):

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Medical Students ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Stress And Coping ◽

Chi Square ◽

Medical College ◽

Brief Cope ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

And Coping

Objective: To determine the association of perceived stress and coping strategies with depressive symptoms in students at a private medical college in Islamabad. Study Design: Correlational study. Place and Duration of Study: Foundation University Medical College, Islamabad, from Jun to Dec 2019. Methodology: Fourth and Final year medical students of Foundation university medical college were enrolled in the study. Beck’s Depression Inventory was used to assess the depressive symptoms, perceived stress scale (PSS) was the tool used to look for the perceived stress and the coping strategies were assessed using the Brief Coping Orientation to Problems experienced (Brief COPE) Inventory. The association of perceived stress and coping strategies with depressive symptoms and other sociodemographic factors was established with the help of the chi-square test. Results: Out of 262 medical students included in the study, 211 (80.5%) had none or mild depressive symptoms while 51 (19.5%) had moderate to severe depressive symptoms. Sixty-six (25.2%) had low stress, 127 (48.4%) had moderate stress while 69 (26.3%) reported high stress levels. Pearson chi-square test revealed that perceived stress and the coping strategies used including self-distraction, active coping, denial, substance use, behavioural disengagement, positive reframing, acceptance, religion/spirituality and self-blaming had a statistically significant relationship with the presence of depressive symptoms among the target population. Conclusion: Considerable number of medical students had the presence of moderate to severe depressive symptoms in our study. Perceived stress and some specific kinds of coping strategies had a significant association with the presence of depressive symptoms among the target.......

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STRESS, STRESSORS, AND COPING STRATEGIES BETWEEN PRE-CLINICAL AND CLINICAL MEDICAL STUDENTS AT UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine ◽

10.37268/mjphm/vol.20/no.1/art.503 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

pp. 175-183

Author(s):

Retneswari Masilamani ◽

Mohammed Abdulrazzaq Jabbar ◽

Chang Swee Liang ◽

Hilary Lim Song You ◽

Lai Jian Kai Jonathan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Medical Students ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

General Health Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Brief Cope ◽

Study Population ◽

And Coping ◽

Self Administered Questionnaire

Stress in medical education has been inevitable among medical students. However, the prevalence of stress among pre-clinical and clinical medical students differed by year of study. There were several stressors reported to affect medical students. Therefore, effective coping strategies were applied to manage the stress faced by medical students. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of stress, stressors and coping strategies comparing pre-clinical and clinical Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) medical students, and the associated stressors and stress among them. This was a cross-sectional study with a study population of 223 medical students. Universal sampling was used. A self-administered questionnaire which included socio-demographic characteristics, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), the Medical Students Stressor Questionnaire (MSSQ) and the Brief COPE Inventory were used in this study. The overall prevalence of stress among medical students was 48.15%. Clinical students had a higher prevalence of stress (53.73%) compared to pre-clinical students (39.02%). Year 3 students had the highest prevalence of stress (64.58%) compared to other years of study. Nearly 1 out of 2 medical students were stressed (48.15%). Academic Related Stressor ranked the highest and Acceptance was the most practiced coping strategy. The only associated stressor with stress was Academic Related Stressor.

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Discrimination and Mental Health: Mediation Effects of Coping Strategies in LGB and Heterosexual Youth

10.7764/psykhe.2018.22185 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Daniela Fonseca de Freitas ◽

◽

Cláudia Silva ◽

Susana Coimbra ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Perceived Discrimination ◽

Minority Group ◽

Mediation Effects ◽

Self Blame ◽

Brief Cope ◽

Positive Reframing ◽

Heterosexual Youth ◽

And Coping

Previous studies reveal that the negative effect of discrimination on mental health is particularly pernicious among stigmatised minorities. However, research also points out the importance of protection mechanisms that may buffer its effect. This study aimed to explore the relationships between mental health, perceived discrimination, and coping strategies of positive reframing and self-blame in LGB and heterosexual youth. Data were collected through a paper and pencil and an online survey administered to 195 Portuguese adolescents and young adults. The survey covered mental health (Mental Health Inventory-5), discrimination (Everyday Discrimination Scale), and coping strategies (Brief COPE). Of the sample, 73.3% were women and 51.8% self-identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB). Analyses of variance show that LGB participants have experienced more discrimination than their heterosexual counterparts. There was no difference in the levels of mental health and the use of self-blame or positive reframing coping strategies. Regression analyses reveal that perceived discrimination and self-blame contribute to the worsening of the mental health of LGB and heterosexual youth. Positive reframing coping was a predictor of mental health only in LGB participants, a strategy that contributed to their resilience in the face of discrimination. Additionally, only LGB participants displayed an indirect effect of discrimination on mental health, partially mediated by self-blame coping. Results corroborate previous findings that suggest that perceived discrimination has a more deleterious effect for members of a minority group and support the psychological mediation framework regarding the effect of discrimination on mental health in stigmatised groups.

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Dealing With the Pandemic of COVID-19 in Portugal: On the Important Role of Positivity, Experiential Avoidance, and Coping Strategies

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647984 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Maria José Ferreira ◽

Rui Sofia ◽

David F. Carreno ◽

Nikolett Eisenbeck ◽

Inês Jongenelen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Coping Strategies ◽

Experiential Avoidance ◽

Online Survey ◽

Critical Role ◽

Well Being ◽

Coping With Stress ◽

Self Blame ◽

And Coping

The global COVID-19 pandemic crisis has caused an unprecedented impact on most areas of people’s lives. Thus, framed within the scope of Existential Positive Psychology (PP2.0), this study aimed at assessing the psychological distress of adults living in Portugal during the first national lockdown, how they are coping with stress, as well to contribute to a deeper understanding about the role that positivity, experiential avoidance, and coping strategies have in psychological distress and well-being. For this purpose, 586 Portuguese adults (73% females) ranging between 18 and 78 years old (M = 38.96, SD = 12.20) completed an online survey during the initial phase of the pandemic crisis in Portugal. Findings suggest that experiential avoidance was the strongest predictor of a negative response (depression, anxiety, stress, loneliness, and negative emotions), whereas positivity was a better predictor of psychological well-being and lower levels of depression. Additionally, self-blame, behavioral disengagement, and emotional venting were strong risk factors for psychological distress, whereas positive reframing, planning, and acceptance were associated with more positive outcomes. These findings highlight the critical role of experiential avoidance on individuals’ psychological distress and the essential contribution of positive life orientation in promoting flourishing. By offering a better understanding of the complex navigation through the dialectics between positive and negative life features, this study provides important and useful cues for psychological interventions directed at promoting a more positive and adaptive human functioning even through such potential adverse and painful life events.

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HIV-Infected Adolescents With Hemophilia: Adaptation and Coping

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.96.3.459 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 96 (3) ◽

pp. 459-463

Author(s):

Larry K. Brown ◽

Janet R. Schultz ◽

Rod A. Gragg ◽

Keyword(s):

Coping Strategies ◽

Risky Behaviors ◽

The United States ◽

Significant Degree ◽

Hiv Status ◽

Self Blame ◽

Alcohol And Drugs ◽

Immunodeficiency Virus ◽

Passive Strategies ◽

And Coping

Objective. It is estimated that 70% of individuals with factor VIII deficiency hemophilia who received blood products before 1985 are infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The goal of the current study was to assess how adolescents with hemophilia cope with reminders of their HIV status, because adaptation is likely to have implications for these individuals' quality of life and adherence to safer sex recommendations. Methods. Participants included 297 HIV-positive adolescents with hemophilia who were recruited from 11 sites across the United States. Adolescents reported on the use and effectiveness of strategies for coping with reminders of their HIV status. Results. A significant degree of distress was reported in response to such reminders, with anger being the most commonly reported emotion. Although a wide variety of coping strategies had been tried, participants reported using resignation (80.9%), self-calming (78.8%), and distraction (76.4%) most frequently in their attempts to cope with reminders of HIV. Self-blame (3.6%), engaging in risky behaviors (22.2%), thinking about sex (25.4%), and drug/alcohol use (29.1%) were used least. These adolescents tended to rate more active cognitive and behavioral coping strategies (eg, cognitive restructuring, seeking social support, physical activity) as most effective, whereas passive strategies (eg, wishful thinking, blaming others) were reported to be least helpful. Those individuals who reported being distressed by reminders of HIV endorsed most of the coping strategies significantly more often than the nondistressed group, although ineffective strategies were commonly chosen. Sexually active adolescents were more likely than their abstinent peers to cope by thinking about sex, engaging in risky behaviors, or using alcohol and drugs. Conclusion. In this population of adolescents who have known their serostatus for several years, distress about everyday reminders of HIV appears to be associated with ineffective coping strategies.

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