INTRODUCTION: During the last years, in Italy as well abroad, psychological counseling has been spreading through university environment, offering a range of opportunities, from individual settings to post-counseling group psychotherapies. Medical students, on the basis of data from several works within international literature, would represent a population particularly exposed to stressors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our study we have recruited a sample of 44 medical students at Sapienza University of Rome. As evaluation tools we have used: a gathering card of socio-demographic variables, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders Clinical Version (SCID-I CV) and a satisfaction card of the service. RESULTS; Fourteen students showed one or more diagnosis in Axis 1 of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). Frequency analysis through χ2 test has underlined statistically significant differences relative to geographic origin variable. The service has been evaluated as alright. DISCUSSION: Although the data presented need deeper and more extensive verifications, our study supports the need of a service of psychological counseling devoted to university population and, even more, to medical students.
INTRODUCTION: During the last years, in Italy as well abroad, psychological counseling has been spreading through university environment, offering a range of opportunities, from individual settings to post-counseling group psychotherapies. Medical students, on the basis of data from several works within international literature, would represent a population particularly exposed to stressors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In our study we have recruited a sample of 44 medical students at Sapienza University of Rome. As evaluation tools we have used: a gathering card of socio-demographic variables, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders Clinical Version (SCID-I CV) and a satisfaction card of the service. RESULTS; Fourteen students showed one or more diagnosis in Axis 1 of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). Frequency analysis through χ2 test has underlined statistically significant differences relative to geographic origin variable. The service has been evaluated as alright. DISCUSSION: Although the data presented need deeper and more extensive verifications, our study supports the need of a service of psychological counseling devoted to university population and, even more, to medical students.