Abstract:
This study aimed to find undergraduate students’ perceptions about academic and non-academic difficulties and coping strategies and determining the occurrence of stress among them. This was a cross-sectional study using quantitative and qualitative approaches to evaluate students from different health professions in a single institution. Physical therapy, speech therapy, medicine, nutrition, and occupational therapy program students (N=162) answered a structured questionnaire and two validated psychometric inventories (COPE Brief scale and the ISS stress symptoms inventory). Additionally, 60 students underwent a semi-structured interview to better understand the results from the quantitative instruments. Quantitative data underwent univariate analysis to test differences between proportions and stepwise multiple regression analysis to identify the independent determinants of stress. Students reported a large number of academic and non-academic difficulties and a variety of coping strategies. Univariate statistical analysis showed no significant differences between courses and stages regarding the number of difficulties and coping strategies. A large proportion of students showed stress, ranging from 45% to 100%, depending on the course and stage, with no significant differences between them. Multivariate statistical analysis found five independent variables as stress determinants: female gender, low family income, number of academic and non-academic difficulties, and number of emotion-focused coping strategies. This analysis also showed that pathological stress is related to only one variable: the number of non-academic difficulties. These findings reinforce the importance of maintaining institutional actions for student social assistance and psychological support. Results also provide meaningful data for adequately planning more effective measures to promote students’ mental health.
Keywords:
Stress; Coping Strategies; Psychological Adaptation; Health Professions; Undergraduate Students
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Notas. FISIO – Fisioterapia, N=26; FONO – Fonoaudiologia, N=27; MED – Medicina, N=55, NUTRI – Nutrição, N=24; e T O – Terapia Ocupacional, N=27. Colunas vazias = dificuldades acadêmicas; colunas preenchidas = dificuldades não acadêmicas.
Notas. FISIO – Fisioterapia, N=26; FONO – Fonoaudiologia, N=27; MED – Medicina, N=55, NUTRI – Nutrição, N=24; T O – Terapia Ocupacional, N=27. Colunas vazias = estratégias voltadas ao problema; colunas preenchidas = estratégias voltadas à emoção.
Notas. FISIO – Fisioterapia, N=26; FONO – Fonoaudiologia, N=27; MED – Medicina, N=55, NUTRI – Nutrição, N=24; e T O – Terapia Ocupacional, N=27. Colunas preenchidas = estresse de qualquer tipo. Colunas em xadrez = estresse patológico.