Nguyen Tan, Pu Christy, Waits Alexander, Tran Tuan D, Balhara Yatan Pal Singh, Huynh Quynh Thi Vu, Huang Song-Lih
Institute of Public Health, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
PLoS One. 2024 Jul 31;19(7):e0308239. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308239. eCollection 2024.
This study aims to examine the sources of stress among first-year medical students; the frequency of their coping strategies; the factors associated with specific stressors and specific coping strategies adopted by the participants.
We conducted a cross-sectional study with 409 first-year students at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam. The Vietnamese versions of the Higher Education Stress Inventory (V_HESI) and Brief Coping Orientation to Problems Experienced (V_Brief COPE) were validated and were used as measurement instruments for participants' sources of stress and coping strategies frequencies. The survey comprised questions of socioeconomic status, stress-related issues, the six sources of stress (using the V_HESI), and the nine coping strategies (using the V_Brief COPE).
Among the six sources of stress, "Worries about future competence/endurance" had the highest mean score (3.02±0.64), while "Mismatch in professional role expectations" had the lowest score (1.60±0.53). "Financial concerns" and "Academic workloads" were also significant sources of stress. Regarding coping strategies, Self-distraction was most frequently adopted by the participants (2.80 ± 0.68). Problem-solving (2.72±0.53) and seeking Social support (2.62±0.70) were also common adaptive strategies. Avoidance (1.87±0.55) and substance-use (1.27±0.55) were the least frequent strategies. Students who experienced acute stress event were more likely to have financial concerns compared to others. Substance use was positively associated with stressors from "Mismatch in professional role expectations", "Non-supportive educational environment", "Having physical issues" and "Having part-time job". Self-blame was more frequent among students with "Worries about future competence/endurance", "Financial concerns", and "Academic workload". Male student tended to adopt humor strategy (β = 0.19, p = 0.02), while less likely to utilize religious practices (β = -0.21, p = 0.01).
Two-thirds of the participants reported moderate to high levels of stress. "Worries about future competence/endurance" was the most concerned stressor, followed by "Academic workload", and "Financial concerns". The first-year medical students reported high frequency of utilization "Self-distraction", "Problem-solving" and "Social support" when confronting stress. The findings may help inform the school management to better support students' well-being.
本研究旨在调查一年级医学生的压力来源；他们应对策略的使用频率；与参与者所面临的特定压力源及所采用的特定应对策略相关的因素。
我们对越南医药大学的409名一年级学生进行了一项横断面研究。越南版的《高等教育压力量表》（V_HESI）和《经历问题的简短应对取向》（V_Brief COPE）经过验证，被用作测量参与者压力来源和应对策略频率的工具。该调查包括社会经济地位、与压力相关的问题、六种压力来源（使用V_HESI）以及九种应对策略（使用V_Brief COPE）的相关问题。
在六种压力来源中，“对未来能力/耐力的担忧”平均得分最高（3.02±0.64），而“职业角色期望不匹配”得分最低（1.60±0.53）。“经济担忧”和“学业负担”也是重要的压力来源。关于应对策略，参与者最常采用自我分心（2.80±0.68）。解决问题（2.72±0.53）和寻求社会支持（2.62±0.70）也是常见的适应性策略。回避（1.87±0.55）和物质使用（1.27±0.55）是最不常采用的策略。经历过急性应激事件的学生比其他人更可能有经济担忧。物质使用与“职业角色期望不匹配”、“非支持性教育环境”、“身体有问题”和“有兼职工作”等压力源呈正相关。自责在有“对未来能力/耐力的担忧”、“经济担忧”和“学业负担”的学生中更为常见。男学生倾向于采用幽默策略（β = 0.19，p = 0.02），而较少使用宗教实践（β = -0.21，p = 0.01）。
三分之二的参与者报告有中度到高度的压力。“对未来能力/耐力的担忧”是最令人担忧的压力源，其次是“学业负担”和“经济担忧”。一年级医学生在面对压力时报告使用“自我分心”、“解决问题”和“社会支持”的频率较高。这些发现可能有助于学校管理层更好地支持学生的幸福感。
