Exploring the Gender Difference and Predictors of Perceived Stress among Students Enrolled in Different Medical Programs: A Cross-Sectional Study

Carmenrita Infortuna, Francesco Gratteri, Andrew Benotakeia, Sapan Patel, Alex Fleischman, Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello, Antonio Bruno, Rocco Antonio Zoccali, Eileen Chusid, Zhiyong Han and Fortunato Battaglia
Additional contact information
Carmenrita Infortuna: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Policlinico Universitario, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
Francesco Gratteri: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Policlinico Universitario, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
Andrew Benotakeia: Department of Medical Sciences and Neurology, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
Sapan Patel: Department of Pre-Clinical Sciences, New York College of Podiatric Medicine, New York, NY 10035, USA
Alex Fleischman: Department of Pre-Clinical Sciences, New York College of Podiatric Medicine, New York, NY 10035, USA
Maria Rosaria Anna Muscatello: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Policlinico Universitario, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
Antonio Bruno: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Policlinico Universitario, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
Rocco Antonio Zoccali: Department of Biomedical and Dental Sciences and Morphofunctional Imaging, Policlinico Universitario, University of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy
Eileen Chusid: Department of Pre-Clinical Sciences, New York College of Podiatric Medicine, New York, NY 10035, USA
Zhiyong Han: Department of Medical Sciences and Neurology, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA
Fortunato Battaglia: Department of Medical Sciences and Neurology, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University, Nutley, NJ 07110, USA

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 18, 1-8

Abstract: Female medical students seem to experience higher level of perceived stress. Moreover, there is a lack of research examining perceived stress in students enrolled in different medical programs. We analyzed the association between temperament traits, optimism, self-esteem, and perceived stress of students pursuing a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree and students pursuing a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM) degree. A cross-sectional study was conducted of two cohorts: allopathic medical students (N = 154) and the podiatric medical students (N = 150). Students anonymously completed the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris, and San Diego Auto Questionnaire (TEMPS-A), Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Life Orientation Test—Revised (LOT-R). We analyzed differences in the two cohort of students and predictors of perceived stress. There were no differences in the overall perception of stress between both cohorts (allopathic medical students: 18.83 ± 0.56; podiatric medical students: 19.3 ± 0.72; p = 0.4419). Women reported higher perceived stress in both programs (allopathic medical students: p = 0.0.038; podiatric medical students: p = 0.0.038). In both allopathic and podiatric medical students, the cyclothymic temperaments and anxious traits were positive predictors while hyperthymic temperaments and optimism traits were negative predictors of perceived stress. The level of perceived stress experienced by students pursuing different doctoral degrees in healthcare is similar. Regardless of the curriculum differences, female students experience higher perceived stress and there is evidence for similarities in predictors amongst allopathic and podiatric medical students.

Keywords: stress; medical student; temperament; self-esteem; optimism (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/18/6647/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/18/6647/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:18:p:6647-:d:412499

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().