A Cross-sectional study on personality, coping strategies, and quality of life of undergraduate medical students

• Main Authors: T Sivailango, S SumithraDevi, P Ezhilarasi, S Arumuganathan, S Usaid, V Sethumadhavan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2020-01-01
• Series: Annals of Indian Psychiatry
• Subjects: coping strategies; personality; quality of life; undergraduate students
• Online Access: http://www.anip.co.in/article.asp?issn=2588-8358;year=2020;volume=4;issue=2;spage=170;epage=174;aulast=Sivailango

Background: Medical students experience high-stress levels that can impact on their learning and future care provision. Increased stress can precipitate episodes of anxiety and depression. Furtermore, it is one of the contributing factors of student suicide. As individual's vulnerability plays a major role, this study aims to understand the personality, coping strategies, and quality of life (QoL) of undergraduate medical students in a private medical college in South India. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study design with universal sampling was used to collect data from 411 undergraduate students. Instruments used were semi-structured proforma to collect socio-demographic details, Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), Coping Strategies Inventory-short form, and World Health Organization QoL-BREF. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Mean, standard deviation, percentages, Independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation were used to describe and analyze the data. Results: Four hundred and three study participants were included in the analysis. About 53.3% of participants were female and >95% were from an urban background. Male students scored more on extroversion while females scored high on neuroticism. Female students applied engagement coping strategies than males. Interns used problem-focused disengagement strategies compared to other students. Females scored significantly higher in social and environmental domains of QOL, and within years of the study, 1st-year students scored low on physical domain, while 2nd-year students scored high on social and Interns on the environmental domain. Conclusion: Significant differences found in the personality, coping strategies and QoL across gender and within years of study. The findings will help to understand the student's vulnerability early and strengthen them to deal with stressors effectively.