Skip to main content

Table 2 Process of developing themes from focus group discussions with medical students and interns

From: Stress coping strategies among medical students and trainees in Saudi Arabia: a qualitative study

Primary Codes

Categories

Organizing Themes

 - View about future social and financial status to self-motivate

 - instant treats to self-motivate

 - Reframe stress to be inevitable and healthy

 - Organizing short-term plans

 - Relationship of marital status of students to their time management ability

 - Socializing

 - Physical exercise, reading and volunteering

1- Cognitive self-rewarding

2- Planning and time management

3- Socializing and communication

4- Engaging in recreational activities

Active strategies

 - Refraining from medical related talks with friends

 - Refraining from medical talks with overachievers

 - Building relationships with the other gender as self-distraction or for ventilation

 - Smoking to relief stress

 - Smoking as self-distraction

1- Avoiding medical discussions

2- Building relationships with the other sex

3- Smoking

4- Physical exercise

Avoidant strategies