The Effect of Belonging-Oriented Psychosocial Interventions for Medical Students: An Exploratory Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Although one of the most common coping strategies for medical students is seeking interpersonal support, evidence shows that they often experience social isolation and low levels of emotional support and belonging, putting them at risk for increased stress and depression. In this exploratory systematic review and meta-analysis, we completed a comprehensive literature search including multiple databases to identify interventions used to increase belonging-oriented psychosocial outcomes among medical students. N = 5 articles (k = 7) were eligible for inclusion. Meta-analysis with the random effects model suggests that belonging-oriented psychosocial interventions may have a small, positive effect on improving feelings of belonging, g = 0.25, 95% CI [0.01–0.50], 95% PI [−0.52–1.02], p = 0.045. However, heterogeneity was substantial (Q = 9.92, p of Q = 0.04, I2 = 59.69%, T = 0.21, T2 = 0.04), and risk of bias was substantial. Subgroup analysis was precluded by the low number of primary studies. Further investigation into belonging-oriented psychosocial support among medical students would be beneficial to determine if these interventions are effective, and if so, ideal intervention types, modalities, facilitators, and durations.