Implementation of a Longitudinal Mentorship Program for Quality of Life, Mental Health, and Motivation of Brazilian Medical Students

An Experiential Approach to Training Medical Faculty to Coach: "The Total Experience was Much More Than the Sum of Its Parts"

Coaching in academic medicine may be used for performance improvement as well as personal and professional growth and development. Medical faculty used to advising and mentoring learners may find it challenging to transition to coaching. Limited information is available about educating physicians to take on the role of coaching. We investigated a faculty coach training program at an academic medical center, using qualitative methods to explore how participants' perceptions of the training aligned with the elements of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) and Intentional Change Theory (ICT) that were taught using the principles of Experiential Learning Theory (ELT). Based on findings that illuminated understanding and practice of coaching, it may be summarized that the application of experiential learning may be an effective approach in helping faculty embrace the principles of SDT and ICT and make the shift to transformational coaching.

Understanding and Fostering Mental Health and Well-Being among University Faculty: A Narrative Review

In recent years, there has been increasing recognition of mental health concerns in academia, with stress, burnout, anxiety, and depression being reported among faculty members. The demanding work environment, the need to balance personal and professional duties, and the constant pressure of productivity while navigating multiple tasks of teaching, research, mentorship, professional development, and service all impact the mental health and overall well-being of faculty. Higher education institutions have structurally changed as has the research landscape. These changes as well as faculty-specific and student-specific factors coupled to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to profound effects on the mental health of academics. This paper is a narrative review of the pertinent literature describing faculty mental health and well-being. It summarizes the available evidence on factors influencing faculty mental health and shows the prevalence of anxiety, depression, stress, and burnout among faculty from various academic fields and along the whole academic ladder. Using a suggested framework that collates the efforts of leaders and faculty, the paper concludes by exploring strategies that promote work-life balance among academics and suggesting effective interventions to improve their mental health outcomes.

Uso de ansiolíticos e antidepressivos entre estudantes de medicina de uma universidade

Objetivou-se identificar o uso de medicamento ansiolítico e/ou antidepressivo e associá-lo às características dos estudantes de medicina de uma universidade. Trata-se de um estudo com 449 estudantes de medicina no interior do estado de São Paulo. O uso de medicamento antidepressivo e/ou ansiolítico era feito por 24,3% dos estudantes, sendo a maior parte do sexo feminino e cursando os dois primeiros anos da faculdade. Não houve associação entre o uso de medicamento e os fatores como: idade, renda, morar com a família, horas de sono, relação com docentes e ter pai e mãe vivos. Observou-se maior chance de fazer terapia entre os estudantes que usavam medicamento (β=1,12, OR=3,07, p<0,001) e uma menor chance de realizar exercício físico (β=-0,051, OR=0,60, p=0,03). Estratégias para o manejo da depressão e da ansiedade devem ser incentivadas e ações para reduzir o estresse durante o curso devem fazer parte de um programa de apoio das universidades. 

Academic motivation scale - reliability and validity evidence among undergraduate nursing students

Objective:

to assess the evidence of validity and reliability of the academic motivation scale (AMS) based on the internal structure.

Method:

this is a methodological study with 205 undergraduate nursing students. Dimensionality/internal structure of the AMS was assessed using factor analysis in the context of exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and reliability of the factors was assessed by Cronbach’s alpha (α) coefficient and composite reliability (CR) coefficient.

Results:

acceptable fit indexes were obtained (CFI = 0.92; RMSEA = 0.07; SRMR = 0.06) for a three-dimensional model: intrinsic motivation (10 items; α = 0.84; CR = 0.86); extrinsic motivation (8 items; α = 0.84; CR = 0.90); and demotivation (4 items; α = 0.84; CR = 0.88). A significant correlational pattern was found for the motivation continuum.

Conclusion:

the dimensionality analysis for the AMS presented a model with three factors: intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation and demotivation, and was considered a reduced alternative to the original version of seven factors. This study helped assess the validity of the measurement instrument and its theory refinement; further studies should be conducted to assess its invariance property.

Prevalence and factors associated with anxiety among university students of health sciences in Brazil: findings and implications

ABSTRACT Objective The aim was to evaluate the prevalence and factors associated with anxiety disorders among university students of health sciences at Federal University of Ouro Preto, Brazil. Methods A cross-sectional study between March to June 2019. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire including sociodemographic, academic, family and behavioral issues. The Beck Anxiety Inventory was used to assess anxiety. Estimates were obtained through the prevalence ratio and Poisson multivariate analysis. Results Four hundred and ninety-three students participated with a mean age of 23.1 and predominantly women (79.9%). All students had some degree of anxiety, with the frequency of the severe, moderate and mild forms being 28.0%, 29.8% and 27.0%, respectively. The factors associated with anxiety included having suffered psychological and/or physical violence in childhood, having suicidal thoughts, having a deceased parent, living with parents, being dissatisfied with the course and being in the exam period. Conclusions The prevalence of anxiety was high in our study and family problems prior to entering university seem to significantly influence the degree of anxiety, which may compromise the student’s academic and social performance.

The root of the problem: identifying major sources of stress in Brazilian medical students and developing the Medical Student Stress Factor Scale

Objectives:

To investigate the most common sources of stress faced by medical students and the degree to which different stressors impact their lives. As a secondary objective, a new instrument, Medical Student Stress Factor Scale (MSSF), was developed based on these stressors.

Methods:

The MSSF was applied to 431 medical students. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale was administered to investigate the relationship between these stressors and the students’ mental health.

Results:

The five greatest stressors were the extensive content, lack of time to study, sleep deprivation, excessive self-pressure for good grades, and lack of leisure time. The MSSF showed good psychometric characteristics, resulting in a 28-item scale with five subscales. The Relationships and Health subscales were associated with depressive symptoms; Relationships, Health, and Learning Environment/Academic Performance were associated with anxiety symptoms, while Health, and Learning Environment/Academic Performance were associated with stress symptoms.

Conclusions:

Our study presents important data about the most important stressors that affect medical students’ lives and cause mental health issues. The factors are generally related to academic performance and the learning environment and should be targeted in future interventions.