Comparing Students of Medical and Social Sciences in Terms of Self-Assessment of Perceived Stress, Quality of Life, and Personal Characteristics

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare medical and social sciences students’ outcomes in terms of self-perceived stress, quality of life, and personality traits. We put particular emphasis on external and internal differences in students of specific fields–medicine, nursing, psychology, and pedagogy. In a survey, 1,783 students from Medical University of Gdańsk and University of Gdańsk participated in our study, of whom 1,223 were included in the final statistical analysis. All of them were evaluated using valid and reliable questionnaires–TIPI-PL, PSS-10, and a one-item scale of quality of life. Stress turned out to have a negative effect on quality of life, regardless of the type of field of study. Moreover, students from different fields varied in terms of personality factors: conscientiousness, agreeableness, openness to experience, and emotional stability. In conclusion, many students regardless of their field suffer from high stress and report low quality of life, which potentially further affects their academic performance and social life.

Assessment of Sugar-Related Dietary Patterns to Personality Traits and Cognitive–Behavioural and Emotional Functioning in Working-Age Women

“…The three-factor eating questionnaire (TFEQ-13) and the ten-item personality inventory (TIPI-PL) were used to analyse the personality traits and cognitive-behavioural and emotional functioning of the study sample, respectively [31,32]. Both were validated internationally, including for the Polish population [33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43]. The TFEQ-13 distinguishes subjects whose behaviour towards diet was characterised by the cognitive restraint of eating (CR) subscale, which measures behaviours related to restricting the amount or type of food to control weight and body image (questions O1-O5).…”

Variations in anxiety and emotional support among first-year college students across different learning modes (distance and face-to-face) during COVID-19

“…Students in health sciences disciplines have traditionally been considered to face different challenges than their counterparts in non-health disciplines regardless of geographical location, as a result of the academic demands, time commitment and rigorous exams, as well as the pressure exerted by the clinical education environment [2][3][4][5][6]. Although academic disciplines may present different challenges, evidence suggests that students, regardless of field of study and/or location, can experience high stress, anxiety, depression, and low quality of life, potentially affecting their academic and social functioning [7,8]. Starting college can involve significant social changes in the lives of students; for example, they stop being teenagers and become adults, acquiring a certain independence, which is often accompanied by new demands and responsibilities [9][10][11].…”