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
. 2017 May 24:8:179-186.
doi: 10.5116/ijme.5910.b961.

Depression, anxiety and stress in dental students

Sumaya Basudan  1 , Najla Binanzan  2 , Aseel Alhassan  3
Affiliations

Depression, anxiety and stress in dental students

Sumaya Basudan et al. Int J Med Educ. .

Abstract

Objectives: To measure the occurrence and levels of depression, anxiety and stress in undergraduate dental students using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21).

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in November and December of 2014. A total of 289 dental students were invited to participate, and 277 responded, resulting in a response rate of 96%. The final sample included 247 participants. Eligible participants were surveyed via a self-reported questionnaire that included the validated DASS-21 scale as the assessment tool and questions about demographic characteristics and methods for managing stress.

Results: Abnormal levels of depression, anxiety and stress were identified in 55.9%, 66.8% and 54.7% of the study participants, respectively. A multiple linear regression analysis revealed multiple predictors: gender (for anxiety b=-3.589, p=.016 and stress b=-4.099, p=.008), satisfaction with faculty relationships (for depression b=-2.318, p=.007; anxiety b=-2.213, p=.004; and stress b=-2.854, p<.001), satisfaction with peer relationships (for depression b=-3.527, p<.001; anxiety b=-2.213, p=.004; and stress b=-2.854, p<.001), and dentistry as the first choice for field of study (for stress b=-2.648, p=.045). The standardized coefficients demonstrated the relationship and strength of the predictors for each subscale. To cope with stress, students engaged in various activities such as reading, watching television and seeking emotional support from others.

Conclusions: The high occurrence of depression, anxiety and stress among dental students highlights the importance of providing support programs and implementing preventive measures to help students, particularly those who are most susceptible to higher levels of these psychological conditions.

Keywords: anxiety; dental student; keywords: depression; psychological health; stress.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Students’ methods of stress reduction
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Cooper CL, Watts J, Kelly M. Job satisfaction, mental health, and job stressors among general dental practitioners in the UK. Br Dent J. 1987;162:77–81. doi: 10.1038/sj.bdj.4806030. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Uraz A, Tocak YS, Yozgatligil C, Cetiner S, Bal B. Psychological well-being, health, and stress sources in Turkish dental students. J Dent Educ. 2013;77:1345–1355. - PubMed
    1. Atkinson JM, Millar K, Kay EJ, Blinkhorn AS. Stress in dental practice. Dent Update. 1991;18:60–64. - PubMed
    1. Alzahem AM, van der Molen HT, Alaujan AH, Schmidt HG, Zamakhshary MH. Stress amongst dental students: a systematic review. Eur J Dent Educ. 2011;15:8–18. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0579.2010.00640.x. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Elani HW, Allison PJ, Kumar RA, Mancini L, Lambrou A, Bedos C. A systematic review of stress in dental students. J Dent Educ. 2014;78:226–242. - PubMed