Britt-Lutter Sonya, Heckman Stuart J
Institute of Personal Financial Planning, and Interim Director, Family Studies and Human Services, Kansas State University.
Institute of Personal Financial Planning, Kansas State University.
J Vet Med Educ. 2020 Feb;47(1):117-124. doi: 10.3138/jvme.0218-017r1. Epub 2019 Apr 22.
The stress of veterinary students ranges from the financial stress associated with high student loan debt combined with possible credit card debt, to relational stress due to lack of time to commit to social activities, to uncertainty regarding the ability to perform at the highest level. While this study considers a multifaceted approach to veterinary student stress and ultimate depressive symptoms, the focus is on the financial stress. A common strategy for reducing debt is to increase financial literacy. While this has the potential to help, it is not the sole solution given that students opt into the program for non-financial reasons. A path analysis was used to explore the predictors of financial satisfaction (the inverse of financial stress). The results were then used to predict depression among pre-vet and veterinary students in combination with relationship stress and demographic characteristics. Results indicate that current and expected student loan debt negatively influence financial satisfaction of pre-veterinary and veterinary students. Lower financial and relational satisfaction predict depressive symptoms among students. Among pre-veterinary students, feeling less intelligent than peers and being a sophomore versus a freshman is associated with depressive symptoms. Among current veterinary students, third-year students are more likely to report depressive symptoms than first-year students.
兽医专业学生面临的压力多种多样，从因高额学生贷款债务以及可能的信用卡债务带来的经济压力，到因缺乏时间参与社交活动导致的人际关系压力，再到对能否在最高水平表现的不确定性。虽然本研究考虑了应对兽医专业学生压力及最终抑郁症状的多方面方法，但重点是经济压力。减少债务的一个常见策略是提高金融素养。虽然这有可能有所帮助，但鉴于学生选择该专业并非出于经济原因，所以这并非唯一的解决办法。采用路径分析来探究财务满意度（经济压力的反面）的预测因素。然后将结果与人际关系压力和人口统计学特征相结合，用于预测兽医预科生和兽医专业学生的抑郁情况。结果表明，当前和预期的学生贷款债务对兽医预科生和兽医专业学生的财务满意度有负面影响。较低的财务和人际关系满意度预示着学生出现抑郁症状。在兽医预科生中，感觉比同龄人笨以及是大二学生而非大一学生与抑郁症状有关。在当前的兽医专业学生中，三年级学生比一年级学生更有可能报告有抑郁症状。
