Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016 Nov 24;16(1):302.
doi: 10.1186/s12909-016-0824-9.

Measuring stress in medical education: validation of the Korean version of the higher education stress inventory with medical students

Eun-Jung Shim  1 , Hong Jin Jeon  2 , Hana Kim  3 , Kwang-Min Lee  4   5 , Dooyoung Jung  6 , Hae-Lim Noh  1 , Myoung-Sun Roh  7 , Bong-Jin Hahm  8   9
Affiliations

Measuring stress in medical education: validation of the Korean version of the higher education stress inventory with medical students

Eun-Jung Shim et al. BMC Med Educ. .

Abstract

Background: Medical students face a variety of stressors associated with their education; if not promptly identified and adequately dealt with, it may bring about several negative consequences in terms of mental health and academic performance. This study examined psychometric properties of the Korean version of the Higher Education Stress Inventory (K-HESI).

Methods: The reliability and validity of the K-HESI were examined in a large scale multi-site survey involving 7110 medical students. The K-HESI, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and questions regarding quality of life (QOL) and self-rated physical health (SPH) were administered.

Results: Exploratory factor analysis of the K-HESI identified seven factors: Low commitment; financial concerns; teacher-student relationship; worries about future profession; non-supportive climate; workload; and dissatisfaction with education. A subsequent confirmatory factor analysis supported the 7-factor model. Internal consistency of the K-HESI was satisfactory (Cronbach's α = .78). Convergent validity was demonstrated by its positive association with the BDI. Known group validity was supported by the K-HESI's ability to detect significant differences on the overall and subscale scores of K-HESI according to different levels of QOL and SPH.

Conclusions: The K-HESI is a psychometrically valid tool that comprehensively assesses various relevant stressors related to medical education. Evidence-based stress management in medical education empirically guided by the regular assessment of stress using reliable and valid measure is warranted.

Keywords: Higher education; Measurement; Medical students; Stress.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Hope V, Henderson M. Medical student depression, anxiety and distress outside North America: a systematic review. Med Educ. 2014;48(10):963–979. doi: 10.1111/medu.12512. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Dyrbye LN, Power DV, Massie FS, Eacker A, Harper W, Thomas MR, Szydlo DW, Sloan JA, Shanafelt TD. Factors associated with resilience to and recovery from burnout: a prospective, multi-institutional study of US medical students. Med Educ. 2010;44(10):1016–1026. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2923.2010.03754.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Schwenk TL, Davis L, Wimsatt LA. Depression, stigma, and suicidal ideation in medical students. JAMA. 2010;304(11):1181–1190. doi: 10.1001/jama.2010.1300. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Dyrbye LN, Thomas MR, Power DV, Durning S, Moutier C, Massie FS, Jr, Harper W, Eacker A, Szydlo DW, Sloan JA, et al. Burnout and serious thoughts of dropping out of medical school: a multi-institutional study. Acad Med. 2010;85(1):94–102. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0b013e3181c46aad. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Roh MS, Jeon HJ, Kim H, Han SK, Hahm BJ. The prevalence and impact of depression among medical students: a nationwide cross-sectional study in South Korea. Acad Med. 2010;85(8):1384–1390. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0b013e3181df5e43. - DOI - PubMed