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Affiliation
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Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch, PO Box 4345, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand. caroline.bell@otago.ac.nz. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: No previous studies have systematically assessed the psychological functioning of medical students following a major disaster.
AIM: To describe the psychological functioning of medical students following the earthquakes in Canterbury, New Zealand, and identify predictors of adverse psychological functioning.
METHOD: 7 months following the most severe earthquake, medical students completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, the Work and Adjustment Scale, and Likert scales assessing psychological functioning at worst and currently.
RESULTS: A substantial minority of medical students reported moderate-extreme difficulties on the DASS subscales 7 months following the most severe earthquake (Depression =12%; Anxiety =9%; Stress =10%). Multiple linear modelling produced a model that predicted 27% of the variance in total scores on the DASS. Variables contributing significantly to the model were: year of medical course, presence of mental health problems prior to the earthquakes, not being New Zealand European, and being higher on retrospectively rated neuroticism prior to the earthquakes.
CONCLUSION: Around 10% of medical students experienced moderate-extreme psychological difficulties 7 months following the most severe earthquake on 22 February 2011. Specific groups at high risk for ongoing psychological symptomatology were able to be identified.
Language: en |