Stress and health-promoting attributes in Australian, New Zealand, and Chilean dental students

Abstract

This study investigated stress levels and health-promoting attributes (sense of coherence, social support, and coping strategies) in dental students using a Salutogenic approach. All dental students (n=2,049) from two Australian universities, two Chilean universities, and one New Zealand university were invited to participate in this cross-sectional study. The questionnaire covered sociodemographic and career choice questions, Perceived Stress Scale, Orientation to Life Questionnaire, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Brief COPE scale. A total of 897 students participated, for a 44 percent response rate. Students' mean age was 22.1 (SD=2.7). The majority were females (59.3 percent). Students reported moderate stress, moderate sense of coherence (SOC), and high levels of social support. Significant differences in the SOC scores by country were reported. The linear regression model for stress explained 44 percent of the variance, in which SOC and social support are negatively associated with stress and the use of maladaptive coping strategies positively predicts high stress. These findings confirm that health-promoting attributes were negatively related to stress in these dental students. This is an initial approach to guide academics in the creation of Salutogenic programs that optimize students' chances to successfully cope with stress.

Keywords: Australia; Chile; New Zealand; dental students; sense of coherence; social support; stress.