What question did this study set out to answer?

The study aims to identify stressors, their effects, and coping mechanisms among medical college students.

March 18, 2026Open Access

A Descriptive study to assess stressors, its effects and coping mechanisms amongst medical college students

Key Points

The study aims to identify stressors, their effects, and coping mechanisms among medical college students.
Cross-sectional analytical design involving MBBS students from a medical college
All-inclusive sampling technique with informed consent
Data collection using a pre-validated MSSQ questionnaire
Data analysis using central tendency measures and statistical tests like Chi-square and Kruskal-Wallis
Utilizing Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 21 for analysis
Academic-related stress is the primary stressor across all years.
Large content volume and time constraints are significant contributors.
Anxiety is identified as the most common effect of stress.
Sleeping is the most prevalent coping mechanism, whereas substance use is least utilized.

Abstract

Background: Stress among college students has been a topic of interest for many years. Medical students are not an exclusion from this. Stress reduces the efficiency in academics, social life and also has its effects in inter-personal relationships. Hence, to be proficient and capable to serve the society, medical students need to be trained in a healthy and stress-free environment, which not just focuses on academics, but also their emotional, social and physical wellbeing. Therefore, this study was designed to find the prevalence of stress; the common stressors, effects and common methods of coping mechanism amongst medical students. Material and Methods: This is a cross-sectional analytical study with an all-inclusive sampling technique including participation of MBBS Students of all years from a Medical College in Raigad district, Maharashtra. An informed written consent was obtained from the study participants. A pre- validated and pretested MSSQ questionnaire in self-reporting format was used. Central tendency, measures of dispersion and test of significance like Chi square test, Kruskal Wallis test etc. were used during data analysis by Microsoft Excel and SPSS version 21. Results: It was found that of the academic related stress is the major cause of stress amongst all years. Large amount of content to be learnt and lack of time to review study material were found out to be the significant (p < 0.05). On studying the effects of stress, anxiety was the most common (p < 0.05). Sleeping was found to be the most common coping mechanism while alcohol consumption and use of drugs was a least used coping strategy. Conclusion: Academic stressor is the dominant stressor and highest in final year students. Anxiety is most common effect of stress. Sleeping is most common coping mechanism. Finding the various stressors, will help the institutions to monitor and bring to action strong interventions like establishing student support group for stress management programs in Medical Colleges in order to reduce the stress amongst medical students.

Bookmark

View Full Paper