Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
BMC Med Educ. 2023 Aug 18;23(1):587. doi: 10.1186/s12909-023-04559-9.
Stress is a significant concern in medical education, and identifying effective ways to deal with stress may help with students' mental health and professional development. This study aimed to examine the effects of the Transforming Stress Program (TSP) amongst first-year medical students on their stress mindset and coping strategies when confronted with stressors.
We conducted a quasi-experimental study at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. A total of 409 first-year students at the Faculty of Medicine were divided into intervention group (205 students) and control group (204 students). The 10-week TSP was delivered as an extra-curricular course. The training adopts psychoeducation based on Dialectical Behavioral Therapy with mindfulness as a fundamental practice incorporated into each component of the program. The intervention group received the training in the first semester; the control group received identical program in the second semester. Stress Mindset Measurement and Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced were measured before the intervention (T0), immediately after intervention on Intervention group (T1), and six months after intervention on Intervention group (T2).
At T1, the intervention group showed 65% improvements in stress mindset scores and increases in coping strategies scores in six domains (Problem solving, Social support, Humor, Religion, Venting, and Self-distraction) and decreases in three (Avoidance, Substance use, and Self-blame). The effect sizes were significant in all outcomes (Cohen's d > 0.2). Measurements of the control group did not change significantly in the same period. At T2, effects of the TSP were found decreased in some domains (Avoidance, Substance use, and Self-blame) compared to T1, but largely remained significantly better than T0.
The TSP is a feasible and effective approach that significantly enhanced medical students' stress mindset and coping strategies. Some effects were still observable 6 months after the intervention. The relatively intensive intervention requires support of the school administration and staff.
压力是医学教育中的一个重要关注点，寻找应对压力的有效方法可能有助于学生的心理健康和职业发展。本研究旨在探讨转化压力计划（TSP）对医学生压力心态和应对压力源的应对策略的影响。
我们在越南胡志明市医科大学进行了一项准实验研究。共有 409 名医学系一年级学生被分为干预组（205 名学生）和对照组（204 名学生）。为期 10 周的 TSP 作为课外活动课程提供。培训采用基于辩证行为疗法的心理教育，正念作为该计划每个组成部分的基本实践。干预组在第一学期接受培训；对照组在第二学期接受相同的课程。在干预前（T0）、干预后立即（T1）和干预后 6 个月（T2）对干预组进行压力心态测量和简要问题应对取向测量。
在 T1 时，干预组的压力心态评分提高了 65%，六个领域（解决问题、社会支持、幽默、宗教、发泄和自我分散）的应对策略评分增加，三个领域（回避、物质使用和自责）评分减少。所有结果的效应大小均显著（Cohen's d>0.2）。同期对照组的测量结果没有显著变化。在 T2 时，与 T1 相比，TSP 的效果在一些领域（回避、物质使用和自责）有所下降，但与 T0 相比，仍有很大的显著改善。
TSP 是一种可行且有效的方法，可显著增强医学生的压力心态和应对策略。干预 6 个月后仍能观察到一些效果。相对密集的干预需要学校行政和工作人员的支持。
