Evaluation of mood, stress levels and sense of coherence in future physiotherapists

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Researchers suggest that physiotherapists are highly exposed to both the physical and the mental strains. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess mood and the level of stress as well as a sense of coherence among future physiotherapists studying at the Department of Physiotherapy. METHODS: The study included 249 students, 181 women and 68 men. The Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Sense of Coherence Questionnaire (SOC-29) and the Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) were used. RESULTS: The examined group had an average level of sense of coherence and a low level of stress. One out of four students exhibited mood disorders. The factors associated with the prevalence of mood disorders among studied students were as follows: female (gender), lack of regular physical activity, poor financial situation, lack of friend to talk to in case of problems, dissatisfaction with the chosen field of study, and being inadequately prepared to work as a physiotherapist. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study indicate an increased prevalence of mood disorders among students of physiotherapy. It is suggested that this situation may require the implementation of effective psychoprophylactic activities during the course of studies and broadly understood education about the psychophysical wellbeing of students, especially as they will work in an environment that requires high resistance to stress and support for other people in a crisis situation.

Physical Activity and the Emotional State of Physiotherapy Students Who Finish Their Education

“…Taking into consideration other factors covered by the study, it can be concluded that upon finishing their education, the participants who declared the willingness to receive psychological help and expressed dissatisfaction with the field of study they had chosen, the participants who did not work, as well as the participants who claimed that their studies did not prepare them for work as physiotherapists were characterized by worse mood, a higher perceived stress level and a lower level of the sense of coherence. These factors were also mentioned in the initial study carried out on a larger group of students (N = 249), which identified the stress level, the emotional state, and the sense of coherence [ 13 ], as well as in the research conducted by other authors [ 5 , 22 , 24 ].…”

“…It was also recorded that a higher perceived stress level and a low level of the sense of coherence during the third year of higher education is correlated with the deterioration of mood after further two years of studying. The relationship between these three parameters has been thoroughly studied [ 13 , 25 , 26 ]; it is crucial from the perspective of the students themselves and of the preventive measures that should be implemented among the individuals who are at the highest risk of mood deterioration and who decide to continue their education to become physiotherapists.…”

“…Similar results were obtained by other authors [ 5 , 22 , 31 ]. Therefore, it is worthwhile to promote regular physical activity among the students of all years, particularly since—as reported by researchers—on average, the first symptoms of depression appear between the ages of 20 and 30 [ 13 ]. It is a unique time in a young person’s life—they have to choose their path, often both personal and professional, and confront both themselves and the burdens they notice in the outside, social world.…”

“…The study was carried out between 2016 and 2019 at the Department of Physiotherapy of the University School of Physical Education in Wroclaw among the third-year bachelor’s degree students majoring in physiotherapy (initial study–T1), who were subsequently re-evaluated two years later as second-year Master’s degree students (final study–T2). The results of the initial study (N = 249) were presented in detail and discussed in an article published in WORK—A Journal of Prevention Assessment & Rehabilitation [ 13 ]. For this publication, only those participants who completed both the initial (T1) and the final (T2) questionnaire after two years of study were taken into account during the analysis.…”

“…Notably, the majority of those students do not seek help and they receive proper treatment less frequently than the members of the general population who suffer from depression [ 9 ]. Additionally, although they are aware of the protective function of physical activity in the prevention and treatment of multiple conditions, they engage in it less frequently [ 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ]. These findings are very alarming due to the nature of the work that those students will perform in the future.…”