Marcus A Henning1, Josephine Stonyer2, Yan Chen1, Benjamin Alsop-Ten Hove2, Fiona Moir3, Ties Coomber1, Craig S Webster1. 1. Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education, University of Auckland, Building 507, Grafton, Auckland, 1023 New Zealand. 2. School of Medicine, University of Auckland, Grafton, Auckland, 1023 New Zealand. 3. Department of General Practice and Primary Healthcare, Population Health, University of Auckland, Grafton, Auckland, 1023 New Zealand.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To explore the associations between self-reported quality of life (QoL) and harassment and the potential moderating effect of social support. DESIGN: Senior medical students were invited to participate in a survey consisting of a background section, the World Health Organisation QoL questionnaire (New Zealand version), a version of the generalised workplace harassment questionnaire, and the multidimensional scale of perceived social support. A series of multivariate statistical analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Two hundred and five students completed the online survey (response rate = 25%). The findings indicated a high incidence of verbal (90%) and covert harassment (87%), with relatively low levels of physical harassment (6%) and manipulation (6%). The correlational analyses indicated that low levels of QoL were associated with high levels of verbal and covert harassment and high levels of social support were directly associated with high levels of QoL. The moderation models indicated that social support conditionally influences the impact of verbal and covert harassment on social and psychological QoL. CONCLUSIONS: These findings imply that medical students experiencing harassment in clinical learning environments likely experienced lowered levels of QoL. Social support may moderate, in certain instances, the adverse impact of harassment on QoL.
OBJECTIVES: To explore the associations between self-reported quality of life (QoL) and harassment and the potential moderating effect of social support. DESIGN: Senior medical students were invited to participate in a survey consisting of a background section, the World Health Organisation QoL questionnaire (New Zealand version), a version of the generalised workplace harassment questionnaire, and the multidimensional scale of perceived social support. A series of multivariate statistical analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Two hundred and five students completed the online survey (response rate = 25%). The findings indicated a high incidence of verbal (90%) and covert harassment (87%), with relatively low levels of physical harassment (6%) and manipulation (6%). The correlational analyses indicated that low levels of QoL were associated with high levels of verbal and covert harassment and high levels of social support were directly associated with high levels of QoL. The moderation models indicated that social support conditionally influences the impact of verbal and covert harassment on social and psychological QoL. CONCLUSIONS: These findings imply that medical students experiencing harassment in clinical learning environments likely experienced lowered levels of QoL. Social support may moderate, in certain instances, the adverse impact of harassment on QoL.