Stress management intervention for dental undergraduate students

Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Stress
Stress, not elsewhere classified,

Registration Number: CTRI/2022/08/044848

Lead Sponsor: Dr Nagashree S R

Brief Summary: **Need for the study :**

Stress is anything that seriously threatens homeostasis. The actual or perceived threat to an organism is called stressor and the response to the stressor is called the stress response. Stress is an adaptive process, but severe and prolonged stress responses lead to disease.Stress is a public health problem which affects physical, mental and social wellbeing. Dental students experience higher levels of stress compared to general population.Studies in different countries point out increasing stress levels as dental student progresses through the course.

Cross sectional studies conducted across the world have showed high stress levels among dental students. Studies done in India also exhibit high levels of perceived stress among dental undergraduate students. The main stressors were academic pressure, developing interpersonal skills, workload and fear of failing the course. Adoptive coping methods like hobbies and positive reframing were used by students to deal with stress.

Stress management methods such as creating support groups, mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, Yoga, muscle relaxation, imparting affective skills have been attempted among dental students as well as students of other courses in different countries. These interventions were carried out in recreation rooms or sports rooms and classrooms. These studies are few and of shorter duration.

There is a clear scarcity of literature that deals with effective management of stress, stressors and coping response among dental students in India. The present research aims to assess the effectiveness of such a stress management intervention among dental undergraduate students.

**Research question:**

Does a stress management intervention modify the stress, stressors and coping response among dental undergraduate students?

**Hypothesis:**

**Population & Problem:** Dental undergraduate students & Stress, stressors and coping response

**Intervention:** Specially designed stress management intervention in experimental group.

**Comparison:** Stress management orientation in control group.

**Outcome:** Modification in stress levels, stressors and coping response.

**Objectives of the study**

1. To assess self perceived stress, stressors, coping response and its associated factors using Perceived Stress Scale, Dental Environment Stress Survey and Brief COPE Inventory at baseline among first year dental under-graduate students in Bengaluru.

2. To design and implement a specially designed stress management intervention and periodic reinforcements among the experimental group and orientation session regarding stress management and periodic reinforcements among control group.

3. To evaluate the effectiveness of a stress management intervention in modifying the self perceived stress, stressors and coping response at periodic intervals of 6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 24months, 30 months and 36 months among dental under graduate students.

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Closed to Recruitment of Participants

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 240

Inclusion Criteria

Students in their first year of B.D.S. Students who are 18 years of age or above.

Exclusion Criteria

Students on medication for anxiety, depression and other psychiatric issues.
Students undergoing psychiatric counselling.
Students who are practicing meditation or Yoga or any other stress management skills on a regular basis.

Study & Design

Study Type: Interventional

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Stress levels using Perceived Stress Scale,	6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 24months, 30 months and 36 months
Stressors using Dental Environment Stress Survey and Coping using Brief COPE Inventory	6 months, 12 months, 18 months, 24months, 30 months and 36 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method

Trial Locations

Locations (1): Government Dental College and Research Institute
🇮🇳
Bangalore, KARNATAKA, India
Government Dental College and Research Institute
🇮🇳Bangalore, KARNATAKA, India
Dr Nagashree S R
Principal investigator
9986376759
nagashree.savanur@gmail.com