Psychological distress among undergraduate medical students: the influence of excessive daytime sleepiness and family functioning

Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the family adaptability and cohesion scale (FACES III) through item response theory models in students from Chile and Colombia

BACKGROUND

A psychometric study of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale (FACES III) has been conducted in Spanish-speaking countries from the perspective of the classical test theory. However, this approach has limitations that affect the psychometric understanding of this scale.

OBJECTIVE

Accordingly, this study used the item response theory to investigate the psychometric performance of the items. Furthermore, it evaluated the differential performance of the items for Colombia and Chile.

METHOD

For this purpose, 518 health science students from both countries participated. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used.

RESULTS

The study results revealed that the cohesion and adaptability items presented adequate discrimination and difficulty indices. In addition, items 5, 8, 13, 17, and 19 of cohesion indicated differential functioning between students from both countries, with Chilean students exhibiting a greater discriminatory power. Further, the Colombian group exhibited a greater discriminatory power for item 18 of adaptability.

CONCLUSIONS

The study concluded that the items of FACES III indicated adequate psychometric performance in terms of their discriminative capacity and difficulty in Chile and Colombia.

Moderating role of family functioning and resource support in the relationship between career calling and academic burnout among Chinese medical students during the controlled COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

PURPOSE

This cross-sectional study aims to assess the level of academic burnout among Chinese medical students during the controlled COVID-19 pandemic and identify the potential demographic factors affecting academic burnout. It also explored the relationship between career calling, family functioning, resource support, and academic burnout, as well as investigated whether family functioning and resource support could moderate the relationship between career calling and academic burnout among Chinese medical students.

METHODS

The study was conducted in five Chinese cities in 2021. A total of 3614 valid questionnaires were collected to assess the relationship between academic burnout, career calling, family functioning, and resource support, and determine whether demographic factors contribute to academic burnout. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to explore factors correlated with academic burnout and test the moderating effect of family functioning and resource support on the relationship between career calling and academic burnout.

RESULTS

The mean academic burnout score was 3.29 ± 1.17. Sex, major, academic performance ranking, monthly living expenses, physical health, and sleep quality significantly affected academic burnout (p < 0.05). Academic burnout was negatively correlated with career calling, resource support, and family functioning. Family functioning and resource support moderated the relationship between career calling and academic burnout. Simple slope analysis revealed that high family functioning and resource support strengthened the impact of career calling on academic burnout.

CONCLUSIONS

Most medical students in China experienced relatively high levels of academic burnout during the controlled COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, specific demographic factors contribute to academic burnout. Family functioning and resource support moderate the relationship between career calling and academic burnout. These findings emphasize the importance of implementing career-calling education, supplementing family functioning in the form of school support, and providing sufficient smart learning resources among medical students in the post-pandemic era.

Family Functioning as an Explanatory Factor of Empathic Behavior in Argentine Medical Students

Empathy is a relevant competence in the study and practice of medicine whose development could depend on the functioning style of each family. This study aims to compare the distribution of empathy levels, about functionality or dysfunction, and the three styles, which can be derived from family functioning in the families of Argentine medical students. Previously providing evidence of the validity of the family functioning measure. As well as provide evidence of the validity of the measure of family functioning.

METHODS

Ex post facto design: 306 Argentine medical students who had already taken the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Spanish Edition (JSE-S) and the abbreviated Spanish Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES-20). A gender-weighted linear regression analysis was made, establishing an ANOVA and multiple comparisons via DMS to determine the effect of functional and dysfunctional families' balanced, intermediate and extreme functioning styles concerning empathy.

RESULTS

Students who presented dysfunction in familial cohesion and adaptability showed measures of empathy greater than those classified as functional. Differences of cohesion were statistically significant in compassionate care, perspective taking and general empathy. These components were significantly higher in students from families classified as extreme than balanced ones. Students classified within families with either extreme or dysfunctional styles showed greater levels of empathy than more adaptive and functional ones, except in the 'walking in patient's shoes' component where differences were not observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Individual resilience as an intervening variable in the presence of empathy is discussed.

IMPLICATIONS

The study of empathy, its associated variables, and the conditions of its development remains a central theme in relation to students and professionals of the health sciences. To achieve an effective professional practice, it is necessary to develop human capacities such as empathy and personal resilience.

The validity and reliability study of the Cleveland Adolescent Sleepiness ​Questionnaire and examination of the sleepiness of university students

PURPOSE

This study aimed to determine the reliability and validity of the Cleveland Adolescent Sleepiness Questionnaire in Turkish university students, and to determine the sleepiness of students.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study was carried out with 852 university students in Turkey, Bolu, between February- May 2019.

FINDINGS

Results of the analysis indicated that this scale was a valid and reliable measurement tool. As the scores of students' get from Cleveland Adolescent Sleepiness Questionnaire increased, the frequency of students feeling sleepy during the day, sleepiness in and out of school, and getting up in the morning without resting increased.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Nurses can use this scale when evaluating university students' sleepiness.

The underlying characteristics of sleep behavior and its relationship to sleep-related cognitions: a latent class analysis of college students in Wuhu city, China

The aim of this study was to gain insight into the sleep quality of college students and related factors from a new perspective by using Latent Class Analysis (LCA). A total of 1,288 college students from four universities in Wuhu city participated in the study. LCA was used to identify the classes of sleep behaviors. Differences in class membership related to selected research factors were examined using multinomial logistic regression analysis.Four distinct classes of behaviors were identified: (1) good sleep (Class 1, 31.8%), (2) prolonged sleep latency (Class 2, 49.1%), (3) sleep disturbances and daytime dysfunction (Class 3, 6.8%), (4) multiple poor sleep behavior (Class 4, 12.3%). The latent classes of sleep behavior were correlated with the DBAS-16 total score (r_s = -0.109, P < 0.001). Learning pressure and mental state during the day could affect overall sleep (Class 2, Class 3 and Class 4), and female students were at higher risk of severe sleep problems (Class 3 and Class 4), while bedtime exercised could improve mild sleep problems (Class 2). The sleep behavior of college students in Wuhu city has obvious class heterogeneity, and different influencingfactors may affect sleep to varying degrees. In addition, our research provides a basis for targeted intervnetion in college student's sleep. .