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BackgroundPast research suggests that medical students experience high levels of psychological distress.ObjectiveThe aim of the current study was to investigate the relationships among engagement in self-care behaviours, dispositional mindfulness, and psychological distress.MethodsThe sample consisted of 139 female and 68 male Australian medical students (N=207) aged 17–41 years (M=21.82, SD=3.62) across the 5 years of the Monash University medical course. Participants completed an online survey comprising a demographics questionnaire, the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire, the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II, and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales.ResultsResults revealed significant and interpretable multivariate correlations between distress and both mindfulness and self-care. Furthermore, the dispositional mindfulness observation subscale was found to be a significant moderator of the relationship between several dimensions of self-care and psychological distress.ConclusionsThe present study points to the potential of self-care and mindfulness to decrease medical student distress and enhance well-being.

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Thorough research of the medical aspects of pediatric liver transplantation has given way to recent interest in the impact of the transplantation process on the QOL of recipients and their families. In this cross-sectional study, we compared the family functioning and QOL of children (n = 30) aged between three and 16 yr (M = 10.10, s.d. = 3.62) who had received a liver transplant in the previous 1-12 yr (M = 5.31, s.d. = 3.44) with non-transplant children (n = 33), as reported via parent proxy. Results showed that parents of pediatric liver transplant recipients made significantly more adjustments to family routines to accommodate their children, particularly in relation to childcare. Impaired family functioning was also found to be associated with decreased QOL. These preliminary findings of relative deficits in family functioning may inform psychosocial interventions to assist pediatric liver transplant patients and their families. Further investigation beyond a single-center study incorporating subjective information from pediatric patients and their parents is recommended.