STRESS LEVELS

STRESS LEVELS OF FINAL YEAR MBBS STUDENTS AND ITS EFFECT ON THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.

Abstract

Objectives: To explore the effect of pre-exam stress levels of final year medical
students on their academic performance. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Setting:
Students of final year MBBS class at Independent Medical College Faisalabad. Period: Session
2010 to 2015. Methodology: Medical Student Stressors Questionnaire (MSSQ) was used for
this study.1 All male and female students of final year MBBS class of Independent Medical
College were included in the study. Collected data analyzed by using SPSS version 18. Mean
stress values and chi-square tests were used to compare the levels of stress and its effect
on their academic performance. Results: Study results indicate that students who pass were
taking moderate to high degree of stress as compared to students who fail in examination were
in mild to moderate degree of stress. In short, high achievers were more stressed as compared
to low achievers. High achievers were more stressed with ARS (Academic Related Stressor)
and TLRS (Teaching and Learning Related Stressor). Low achievers were more stressed with
GARS (Group Activities Related Stressor) and SRS (Social Related Stressor). Conclusion: The
study concludes that stress can be used as a positive factor to improve medical students’
academic performance. The most important thing is that not only some stress is necessary
for good performance but also students should learn how to manage well their stress levels
to improve their academic performance. This study gives guidelines to other medical colleges
for developing coping strategies; so that stress can be used as a positive factor to improve
students’ academic performance. There is a need for stress management and student support
programs in medical colleges, So that students may not drop out from medical programs.