Outcomes of a Small Process Group on Medical Students' Grit, Resilience, and Stress

NCT ID: NCT06003920

Last Updated: 2023-08-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 16 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-06-24
• Study Completion Date: 2023-05-30

Brief Summary

The incidence of burnout and mental ill-health begins very early in medical school and continues to be high throughout training. Medical students are under high amounts of stress, which often becomes chronic, and can lead to both physical and psychological issues as a student, resident, and physician. Chronic stress and burnout in medical students are not a new phenomenon, but recent research has highlighted the worsening mental health of medical students, with as high as three-quarters of students reporting mental ill-health. It is vital that ways are found to reduce burnout and assist in improving the mental health of medical students. This quasi-experimental study aimed to assess the effect of a small process group vs. a control group of preclinical medical students on their stress, resilience, and grit.

Detailed Description

The investigators assessed the effects of a year-long small process group intervention, led by a psychiatrist, which aimed to improve self-awareness, mindfulness, and resilience in first and second-year medical students. Students self-selected into the process group, and the same number were randomly recruited as controls from the rest of the preclinical student body. The psychiatrist who led the groups was blinded to student participation in the study. Students in the process and control groups were surveyed with the Perceived Stress Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Grit Scale in September 2022, and again after nine months and 25 sessions, in May 2023, after the academic year. Statistical analysis was done with R Studio. Bandura's theory of self-efficacy was used to conceptualize the study. Recruitment was done by email, as was data collection. The intervention included guided exploration of the psychodynamic process, group dynamic theory, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, boundaries, and empathy.

Conditions

Stress

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NON_RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: SUPPORTIVE_CARE
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Process Group

Medical students enrolled in the small process group, led by psychiatrist.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Process group

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The medical student process group served as a space for students to gain increased self-awareness through guided exploration of the psychodynamic processes.

Control Group

Medical students from the same cohorts, not enrolled in the small process group.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Process group

The medical student process group served as a space for students to gain increased self-awareness through guided exploration of the psychodynamic processes.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. The participant must be an enrolled student at the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-NW

2. Participant must be in their first or second year of medical school

3. Participant must be at least 18 years of age

4. Participant must self-select into either the intervention group or control group

5. Participant must sign informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

1. Data will be excluded if a student goes on a LOA during the course of the year

2. Data will be excluded if a student does not attend a minimum of 12 out of 25 small group sessions

3. Student does not give informed consent

4. Student withdraws consent at any time

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Western University of Health Sciences

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Edie Sperling

Assistant Professor and Vice-Chair, Medical Anatomical Sciences

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Edie L Sperling, DPT

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Western University of Health Sciences

Locations

College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific - Northwest

Lebanon, Oregon, United States

Countries

United States

Provided Documents

Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

1902099

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id