Stressors in Dental Students During the Transition from Theory to Practice: A Qualitative Research

386 > RESEARCH http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2519-0105/2022/v77no7a1 The SADJ is licensed under Creative Commons Licence CC-BY-NC-4.0. Stressors in Dental Students During the Transition from Theory to Practice: A Qualitative Research SADJ August 2022, Vol. 77 No. 7 386-393 MA Hashemipour1, V Hosseini2, H Kamyabi3 ABSTRACT Introduction Dentistry is one of the most challenging, demanding, and stressful fields of study. Dental students are expected to acquire various skills, including academic, clinical, and interpersonal skills. This study aimed to investigate the stressors in students during the transition from theory to practice through qualitative research methods and ultimately improve curricula used for learning. Methods This cross-sectional study was performed on fourth to sixth year students of Kerman Dental School through interviews. Interviews related to the experienced clinical stress and challenges and experiences in the clinical environment were conducted with 40 students (16 males and 24 females) who were randomly included in the study and the participants' statements were recorded with their consent. The interview continued until the stage of information saturation and at the end it was confirmed by the participants in the study. Qualitative data were analyzed based on content analysis and then the data were classified. Results In this study, 8 people were in the fourth year, 16 people were in the fifth year and 16 people were in the sixth year. According to the statements and experiences of students, stressors such as reprimand and lack of time were the most common causes of clinical stress. Other factors, such as professors' attitudes and infection control, also had a significant effect on stress. PatientAuthor affiliations: 1. Maryam Alsadat Hashemipour: Department of Oral Medicine, Dental School, Kerman of University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. Dental and Oral Diseases Research Center, Kerman Social Determinants on Oral Health Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. 2. Vida Hosseini: General Dentist, Private Practice, Kerman, Iran 3. Homa Kamyabi: General Dentist, Department of Oral Medicine, Dental School, Kerman of University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. Corresponding author: Homa Kamyabi Homa Kamyabi Email: Phone: +989137676394 Author contributions: 1. Maryam Alsadat Hashemipour: 2. Vida Hosseini: 3. Homa Kamyabi: 33.3% 33.3% 33.3% related factors such as not having a patient, their late or late arrival, and being harassed at work were also cited as causes of stress. Conclusion Many factors in the clinical environment play a role in the stress of dental students, which can be eliminated or reduced to greatly contribute to the quality of education. According to the results of this study and the recognition of stressors in the clinical environment, more attention of the authorities to this field and the need to review clinical education seems necessary. Keywords: Stress, Students, Qualitative, Research, Interview INTRODUCTION The word stress, widely used today, was first defined in 1963 by Hans Selye1. Essentially, stress is the body’s response to any perceived demand, change, or threat, and the stressor is a situation or event that triggers that response 2-4. Stress can also have a positive effect and provoke the person or have a negative effect and produce a feeling of being threatened 5. Today, it is known that stress or tension is the primary factor affecting mental health 6-8. Among different groups of society, students experience high stress due to factors such as distance from the family, entering large and stressful groups, economic problems, low income, a large number of courses, and intense competition 8. Dentistry is one of the most challenging, demanding, and stressful fields of study. Dental students are expected to acquire various skills, including academic, clinical, and interpersonal skills 9,10. In recent decades, several studies have examined the sources of stress for dental students in different educational environments. Several factors that cause stress include workload, academic factors, clinical education, anxious patients, complex treatments, dealing with patients, and limited time to complete treatment 11,12. Thus, it can be argued that some stresses are inherent in medical and dental education and cannot be eliminated 13. Also, due to the close relationship between the dentist and the patient, the dentist considers himself responsible in terms of professional ethics, and the slightest unintentional mistake puts him under stress both emotionally and legally 13,14. In addition, the recognition of the transition from the theoretical to RESEARCH < 387 the clinical state has been reported in psychological education as a dynamic emotional and social process. Thus, although this transition to clinical education might be a specific period for personal and professional development, it might also be a source of stress and anxiety 14. In general, if persistent, stresses will have harmful consequences such as physical, psychological, and emotional effects, causing psychological complications, including depression, obsession, personality disorders, and feelings of inefficiency, anxiety, resentment, and boredom. In addition, stress-induced impatience might even lead to a lack of interest in the field of study 12-14. If stresses are not dealt with effectively, they can lead to psychological and physical symptoms and endanger health, with significant detrimental effects on individuals’ health and efficiency. The most harmful effect of stress is disruption and impairment of effective performance, thinking power, and learning. In addition to the above consequences, students might show maladaptive habits and responses in the face of stress, such as smoking, alcohol abuse, medications, drug abuse, or suicide attempts 12-14. There are limited studies on transitional stress in dental students; however, significant stress and anxiety levels have been reported during their training period. In previous studies, the emphasis has been on the educational environment, and factors such as the influence of professors, communication with classmates, and communication with professors have not been considered 14-18. This study aimed to investigate the stressors in students during the transition from theory to practice through qualitative research methods and ultimately improve curricula used for learning. METHODS Also, before starting work, this dissertation was approved in the Ethics Committee of university with the code of ethics IR.KMU.REC.1398.478. The samples included all the fourth- to sixth-year dental students of Kerman Dental School. In this comprehensive functional study, in-depth group and individual interviews were conducted with several students. Students from the fourth, fifth, and (...truncated)