A Strategy for Stress Reduction among Medical Students

Abstract: Introduction: Undergraduate medical students experience a considerable amount of stress, which can negatively affect their learning, motivation and contact with patients. Some techniques and practices for stress management and reduction, such as meditation, have been recommended and used in medical schools. This study evaluated the effects of a Stress Reduction and Empathy Development Program in Medicine (REDEMED©) on participants’ perception of stress and possible support groups. Method: This is a quasi-experimental trial whose sample comprised 40 students in a control group and 47 students in an intervention group. The students in the intervention group participated in eight weekly sessions lasting two hours each. The course hours were divided into: 30 minutes of theoretical content on how stress influences one’s health, 60 minutes of interpersonal practices and 30 minutes of yoga and meditation practices. Both groups, before and after the program, answered the questionnaire on perceived stress (PSS - Cohen’s scale). Results: After the eight weekly meetings, the intervention group showed significant improvement (p = 0.030), showing that participation in the REDEMED© course proved to be effective in stress control among the students in the study. The students were also questioned about their self-perception of whether or not they felt they were supported by any other groups. The three support groups most often referred to by the students, in both the intervention and the control group, were: friends/family, the Students’ Union and their sports team. After eight weeks, while the control group still referred to the same groups, the intervention group mentioned friends/family, REDEMED© and the Students’ Union. Conclusion: This study showed that the REDEMED© program, meeting for eight weeks using meditation as its central technique, was effective in reducing the stress perceived by medical students who participated in this intervention when compared to the control group (p = 0,000). Integrative and complementary practices can be an important tool within medical schools, empowering students to better cope with the stress they are exposed to throughout the course.摘要：引言：医学本科生承受着程度可观的压力，这会对其学习、学习动机以及医患沟通产生负面影响。目前已有多种压力管理与缓解的技术与实践方法（如冥想）被医学院校推广并应用。本研究评估了医学压力缓解与共情发展项目（Stress Reduction and Empathy Development Program in Medicine, REDEMED©）对参与者压力感知及潜在支持群体的影响。方法：本研究为类实验性试验，研究样本包含对照组40名学生与干预组47名学生。干预组学生参与了为期8周、每周2小时的课程，单周课程时长分配为：30分钟讲解压力对健康影响的理论内容、60分钟的人际互动实践，以及30分钟的瑜伽与冥想练习。两组学生均在项目实施前后完成了感知压力量表（Perceived Stress Scale, PSS-科恩量表）的作答。结果：历经8周课程后，干预组表现出显著改善（p=0.030），表明参与REDEMED©项目可有效控制本研究中受试医学生的压力水平。研究同时询问了学生们对自身是否获得其他群体支持的自我感知情况。干预组与对照组学生提及频次最高的三类支持群体分别为：亲友、学生会以及各自的运动队。8周课程结束后，对照组仍提及上述三类群体，而干预组提及的群体则为亲友、REDEMED©项目组与学生会。结论：本研究结果表明，以冥想为核心技术、为期8周的REDEMED©项目，相较于对照组，可有效降低参与干预的医学生的感知压力水平（p=0.000）。整合性与补充性实践可成为医学院校的重要工具，助力学生更好地应对其在学业期间所承受的压力。