Psychosocial Factors Affecting Mental Well-Being of Dental Students: A Qualitative Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31436/imjm.v23i02.2260Keywords:
mental well-being, undergraduate dental students, psychosocial factorsAbstract
INTRODUCTION: Dental students often faced high levels of mental distress which contributed to lower mental well-being. This has a negative impact on their health and academic performance. Many previous studies focused on students who were already in a 'diseased' state with little focus on students who are well but at risk of developing poor mental well-being. A better understanding of the factors affecting the mental well-being dental students is needed. This study was aimed to explore the factors associated with mental well-being of dental students and to identify steps to promote their mental well-being. MATERIALS & METHODS: In this qualitative study, individual interviews were conducted among undergraduate dental students using semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were recorded, transcribed via verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: The analysis revealed three main themes; i) Impression of dentistry, ii) Stressors and iii) Mental health experience. CONCLUSION: Undergraduate dental students often experienced low mental well-being due to the stressors they faced. Identifying the factors that influenced the mental well-being of dental students would allow for early intervention and fostering of mental well-being among dental students.
Downloads
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
All material submitted for publication is assumed to be submitted exclusively to the IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia (IMJM) unless the contrary is stated. Manuscript decisions are based on a double-blinded peer review process. The Editor retains the right to determine the style and if necessary, edit and shorten any material accepted for publication.
IMJM retain copyright to all the articles published in the journal. All final ‘proof’ submissions must be accompanied by a completed Copyright Assignment Form, duly signed by all authors. The author(s) or copyright owner(s) irrevocably grant(s) to any third party, in advance and in perpetuity, the right to use, reproduce or disseminate the research article in its entirety or in part, in any format or medium, provided that no substantive errors are introduced in the process, proper attribution of authorship and correct citation details are given, and that the bibliographic details are not changed. If the article is reproduced or disseminated in part, this must be clearly and unequivocally indicated.