The Impact of Peer Support on Stress and Anxiety Levels of Dental Students: Cross-Sectional Research
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Objective: Stress and anxiety levels during dental education can have a negative impact on students' performance and motivation. Therefore, peer support is believed to enhance students'psychological well-being during the education process, which may increase their participation and success in dental education. The study aimed to determine whether peer support could reduce the levels of stress and anxiety experienced by dental students during practical training at the endodontic clinic. Material and Methods: The study included 4th-year dental students who received practical training at the endodontics clinic. The participants were divided into two groups: those who received peer support (study group) (n=24) and those who did not (control group) (n=24). The ''Clinical Stress Questionnaire'' (CSQ) and ''State-Trait Anxiety Inventory'' (STAI-S, STAI-T) were administered to both groups at the pre-test and post-test. The data were analyzed using SPSS 22. Results: The comparison between the post-test and pretest inventories revealed that peer support resulted in a significant reduction in state anxiety scores (STAI-S) within the study group (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in trait anxiety scores (STAI-T) between the study group. Additionally, the study group exhibited a statistically significant decrease in the total mean score for the CSQ on the post-test compared to the pre-test (p<0.05). Conclusions: Peer support can reduce students' STAI-S and CSQ scores during education. However, peer support did not significantly affect students' STAI-T levels during education. Further studies are needed to assess the anxiety and stress levels of students in the endodontic clinic.
Institution: Pamukkale University
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4403835268