Correlation of levels of depressiveness and choice of elective subjects in medical students

Abstract

The aim of this research was to establish if a correlation exists between the choice of an elective subject, namely subjects "Depression" and "Diabetes", and levels of depressiveness in medical students. Three groups of third year medical students attending School of medicine, Rijeka University, were tested for the level of depression using Beck's self-evaluation scale. The groups consisted of 30 non-randomly selected students that had enrolled elective subject "Depression" and 29 non-randomly selected students that had enrolled elective subject "Diabetes", and the third group of 30 randomly selected third year medical students that had enrolled none of the previously mentioned elective subjects. Median age of participants in this research was 25.24. The results showed no statistically significant difference in overall level of depressiveness among the groups. By testing for the difference between group pairs, there was a statistically significant difference between depressiveness in students attending "Depression" and "Diabetes", the latter being significantly more depressed (M = 8.30 in "Depression" group; M = 11.41 in "Diabetes" group; p = 0.04). In total there were 33 males and 56 females that participated in this research. Gender difference was also tested, and there was no statistically significant difference between sexes among groups. The difference was found only within the group of students attending "Depression" elective subject, where females scored significantly higher on Beck's questionnaire (z = 2.26; p = 0.03). The analysis of difference between items of the Beck's questionnaire showed statistically significant difference in the item "Feeling of rejection", where students attending elective subjects other then "Depression" scored significantly higher; differences in the items "Urge for punishment" and "Suicidal tendencies" were also found between "Diabetes" and "other elective subjects" group, in favor of "Diabetes" group; in the item "Weight loss" students attending "Diabetes" elective subject scored significantly higher then their peers in both other groups. The results indicate the possibility of a protective role of psycho-educative component provided to the students attending elective subject on depression within medical school environment, that has repeatedly been shown to be stressful and demanding and is beneficial for the onset of depressive disorders.