Factors of resistance to organizational stress among first-year students of a medical university

A study of stress factors among first-year students of SSMU was made. 122 students of the age from 17 to 24 years took part in the research. 31 respondents are foreign students, 57 respondents are from other cities, and 34 respondents are from Tomsk. Methodological framework consisted of a scale of stress factors for undergraduate students (Renner & Mackin); Beck Anxiety Scale; Beck Depression Inventory; viability test of D.A. Leontiev, E.I. Rasskazova (adaptation of the questionnaire «Hardiness Survey» by S. Maddi); questionnaire of coping (Kryukova T.L., Kuftyak E.V., adaptation techniques of WCQ); Social Support Questionnaire (FSOZU-22, adaptation A.B. Kholmogorova, G.A. Petrova). As a result, the level of organizational stress among first-year students is defined; it is equal to 1,030 points, which corresponds to the "average" value. Statistically significant differences in the level of symptoms of anxiety (p = 0,0225) and depression (p = 0,0245) among foreign students and students from other cities, Tomsk citizens are represented; depressive symptoms of varying severity come out more often among foreign and non-resident students than among students from Tomsk. It was found that more than a half of the respondents (56.5%) have the average level of "general viability". The leading strategies of coping behavior among first-year students are revealed, it is "a plan to solve the problem" (15%), "the search of social support" (14%), "self-control" (13%) and "positive revaluation" (13%). Foreign students are likely to adopt the strategy of "search of social support", students from other cities use "distancing" and "escape-avoidance," students from Tomsk choose the "plan to solve the problem" and the strategy of "positive revaluation." Indicators of social support among respondents of the first course, which is more than 50%, were identified. It demonstrates that students are satisfied with emotional, instrumental and informational support provided. The use of the correlation analysis method shows that for foreign, non-resident and local students the consequences of organizational stress are manifestations of depression and anxiety, so the "mediator" factors form the level of "general vitality", "engagement", "control", "risk-taking" and coping strategy of "positive revaluation"; students from Tomsk have a high rate of coping strategy "positive revaluation", that helps to reduce exposure to factors of organizational stress.

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