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Research article
Michael Scholz
Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8440-6785
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
Background: A broad range of high-quality studies show that medical students often have a significantly deteriorated mental health status. Although starting medical school with values comparable to the population average, only a few semesters later, medical undergraduates show increased rates of psychological risk states and some manifest mental illnesses, such as burnout and depression. In our survey we intentionally assessed mental health parameters from a salutogenetic, i.e. resource-oriented point of view.
Methods: We examined first-year medical students in a cross-sectional study and assessed sense of coherence (SOC) and resilience as parameters from the salutogenesis model by Antonovsky in a structured way using validated, self-administered questionnaires. In total, we examined 236 students of human medicine, dentistry and molecular medicine at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU).
Results: Our analyses showed significantly higher values of resilience among male students compared to female students. In contrast, even though a significant correlation between resilience and SOC was observed, only a non-significantly lower value of SOC was found in female students. Compared to the population average our medical students in their first year of study showed significantly lower values for resilience and SOC.
Conclusion: Resilience and SOC are known to correlate with psychological stress (burnout parameters) and depression. In order to keep protective factors like SOC and resilience in medical students at a good and healthy level we see the necessity to address that problem proactively and also from the teaching side. Integrating training focused on the preservation of the students´ own mental health into the medical curriculum from the beginning of university courses, and throughout the whole medical study course, is essential and should be an obligatory training goal. Based on our study results, we also deem it necessary to think about ways to adapt the measures for the gender-specific needs of our students, e.g. dependent on their biological gender.
Keywords
Mental health status, Undergraduate medical students, Salutogenesis, Resilience, sense of coherence, Medical education
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This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
- Table1.jpg
Table 1: Probands from medical courses of studies
- Table2.jpg
Table 2. Values given by test participants for resilience, subdivided according to fields of study and gender
- table3.jpg
Table 3. The values given by the participants for SOC, subdivided according to fields of study and gender.
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CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Medical Education.
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Review #1 received
Received 12 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 12 Dec, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 12 Dec, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 07 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 07 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 01 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 01 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 01 Dec, 2020
Version 1
Posted 13 Aug, 2020
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 08 Nov, 2020
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 08 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 19 Oct, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 18 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 26 Aug, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 14 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 06 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 05 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 05 Aug, 2020
First submitted
On 03 Aug, 2020
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PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
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A new preprint design is coming!
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See the published version of this preprint at BMC Medical Education.
This is a preprint, a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research article
Michael Scholz
Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg
Corresponding Author
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8440-6785
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Published
View the published article at BMC Medical Education.
No community comments so far
Review #1 received
Received 12 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 12 Dec, 2020
Review #2 received
Received 12 Dec, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 07 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 07 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 01 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 01 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 01 Dec, 2020
Version 1
Posted 13 Aug, 2020
No comments provided
Review #2 received
Received 08 Nov, 2020
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 08 Nov, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 19 Oct, 2020
Review #1 received
Received 18 Sep, 2020
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 26 Aug, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 14 Aug, 2020
Editor assigned
On 06 Aug, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 05 Aug, 2020
Editor invited
On 05 Aug, 2020
First submitted
On 03 Aug, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
View the published article at BMC Medical Education.
Background: A broad range of high-quality studies show that medical students often have a significantly deteriorated mental health status. Although starting medical school with values comparable to the population average, only a few semesters later, medical undergraduates show increased rates of psychological risk states and some manifest mental illnesses, such as burnout and depression. In our survey we intentionally assessed mental health parameters from a salutogenetic, i.e. resource-oriented point of view.
Methods: We examined first-year medical students in a cross-sectional study and assessed sense of coherence (SOC) and resilience as parameters from the salutogenesis model by Antonovsky in a structured way using validated, self-administered questionnaires. In total, we examined 236 students of human medicine, dentistry and molecular medicine at the Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU).
Results: Our analyses showed significantly higher values of resilience among male students compared to female students. In contrast, even though a significant correlation between resilience and SOC was observed, only a non-significantly lower value of SOC was found in female students. Compared to the population average our medical students in their first year of study showed significantly lower values for resilience and SOC.
Conclusion: Resilience and SOC are known to correlate with psychological stress (burnout parameters) and depression. In order to keep protective factors like SOC and resilience in medical students at a good and healthy level we see the necessity to address that problem proactively and also from the teaching side. Integrating training focused on the preservation of the students´ own mental health into the medical curriculum from the beginning of university courses, and throughout the whole medical study course, is essential and should be an obligatory training goal. Based on our study results, we also deem it necessary to think about ways to adapt the measures for the gender-specific needs of our students, e.g. dependent on their biological gender.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 6
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
- Table1.jpg
Table 1: Probands from medical courses of studies
- Table2.jpg
Table 2. Values given by test participants for resilience, subdivided according to fields of study and gender
- table3.jpg
Table 3. The values given by the participants for SOC, subdivided according to fields of study and gender.
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