BACKGROUND: No previous studies have systematically assessed the psychological functioning of medical students following a major disaster. AIM: To describe the psychological functioning of medical students following the earthquakes in Canterbury, New Zealand, and identify predictors of adverse psychological functioning. METHOD: 7 months following the most severe earthquake, medical students completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, the Work and Adjustment Scale, and Likert scales assessing psychological functioning at worst and currently. RESULTS: A substantial minority of medical students reported moderate-extreme difficulties on the DASS subscales 7 months following the most severe earthquake (Depression =12%; Anxiety =9%; Stress =10%). Multiple linear modelling produced a model that predicted 27% of the variance in total scores on the DASS. Variables contributing significantly to the model were: year of medical course, presence of mental health problems prior to the earthquakes, not being New Zealand European, and being higher on retrospectively rated neuroticism prior to the earthquakes. CONCLUSION: Around 10% of medical students experienced moderate-extreme psychological difficulties 7 months following the most severe earthquake on 22 February 2011. Specific groups at high risk for ongoing psychological symptomatology were able to be identified.
BACKGROUND: No previous studies have systematically assessed the psychological functioning of medical students following a major disaster. AIM: To describe the psychological functioning of medical students following the earthquakes in Canterbury, New Zealand, and identify predictors of adverse psychological functioning. METHOD: 7 months following the most severe earthquake, medical students completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, the Work and Adjustment Scale, and Likert scales assessing psychological functioning at worst and currently. RESULTS: A substantial minority of medical students reported moderate-extreme difficulties on the DASS subscales 7 months following the most severe earthquake (Depression =12%; Anxiety =9%; Stress =10%). Multiple linear modelling produced a model that predicted 27% of the variance in total scores on the DASS. Variables contributing significantly to the model were: year of medical course, presence of mental health problems prior to the earthquakes, not being New Zealand European, and being higher on retrospectively rated neuroticism prior to the earthquakes. CONCLUSION: Around 10% of medical students experienced moderate-extreme psychological difficulties 7 months following the most severe earthquake on 22 February 2011. Specific groups at high risk for ongoing psychological symptomatology were able to be identified.
Authors: Lisa S Rotenstein; Marco A Ramos; Matthew Torre; J Bradley Segal; Michael J Peluso; Constance Guille; Srijan Sen; Douglas A Mata Journal: JAMA Date: 2016-12-06 Impact factor: 56.272
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Authors: V Bianchini; L Giusti; A Salza; V Cofini; M G Cifone; M Casacchia; L Fabiani; R Roncone Journal: Clin Pract Epidemiol Ment Health Date: 2017-03-16
Authors: Tim J Wilkinson; Jan M McKenzie; Anthony N Ali; Joy Rudland; Frances A Carter; Caroline J Bell Journal: BMC Med Educ Date: 2016-02-02 Impact factor: 2.463