Outcomes of a Small Process Group on Medical Students' Grit, Resilience, and Stress

Overview

The incidence of burnout and mental ill-health begins very early in medical school and continues to be high throughout training. Medical students are under high amounts of stress, which often becomes chronic, and can lead to both physical and psychological issues as a student, resident, and physician. Chronic stress and burnout in medical students are not a new phenomenon, but recent research has highlighted the worsening mental health of medical students, with as high as three-quarters of students reporting mental ill-health. It is vital that ways are found to reduce burnout and assist in improving the mental health of medical students. This quasi-experimental study aimed to assess the effect of a small process group vs. a control group of preclinical medical students on their stress, resilience, and grit.

The investigators assessed the effects of a year-long small process group intervention, led by a psychiatrist, which aimed to improve self-awareness, mindfulness, and resilience in first and second-year medical students. Students self-selected into the process group, and the same number were randomly recruited as controls from the rest of the preclinical student body. The psychiatrist who led the groups was blinded to student participation in the study. Students in the process and control groups were surveyed with the Perceived Stress Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, and the Grit Scale in September 2022, and again after nine months and 25 sessions, in May 2023, after the academic year. Statistical analysis was done with R Studio. Bandura's theory of self-efficacy was used to conceptualize the study. Recruitment was done by email, as was data collection. The intervention included guided exploration of the psychodynamic process, group dynamic theory, cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, boundaries, and empathy.