A psychosocial perspective on the dental educational experience and student performance.

Studies describing the educational experience of dental students traditionally have focused on characteristics of the learner or the environment. Little work has been done to describe the processes that enhance or detract from performance in dental school. Social learning theory, attribution theory, and the stress-distress paradigm are used to develop a theoretical model for the psychological and social processes that affect dental student well-being and performance. Data from preliminary investigations are used to present a logical argument for the model components. Results from future investigations to test the proposed model may provide dental educators with information that will facilitate both teaching and learning.