Table 4 Mean score (SD) for each DES item by year of study
Stressor | First year | Second year | Third year | Fourth year | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Moving away from home | 1.38 (1.05) | 1.36 (0.86) | 1.16 (0.89) | 1.26 (1.07) | 0.411 |
2. Lack of home atmosphere | 1.30 (0.93) | 1.39 (1.04) | 1.20 (0.96) | 1.24 (0.95) | 0.555 |
3. Environment in which to study | 1.49 (1.06) | 1.67 (1.03) | 1.63 (1.15) | 1.79 (0.93) | 0.309 |
4. Making friends | 1.67 (0.96) | 1.81 (0.95) | 1.68 (1.03) | 1.60 (0.90) | 0.545 |
5. Intimate relationships | 1.23 (1.34) | 1.25 (1.25) | 1.01 (1.00) | 1.16 (1.11) | 0.549 |
6. Conflict with spouse/partner over career development | 0.63 (0.97) | 0.80 (0.98) | 0.59 (0.81) | 0.67 (0.98) | 0.516 |
7. Having multiple roles | 1.38 (1.04) | 1.43 (1.14) | 1.18 (1.13) | 1.19 (1.17) | 0.337 |
8. Personal physical health | 1.45 (0.93) | 1.76 (1.00) | 1.57 (1.18) | 1.71 (1.06) | 0.205 |
9. Financial responsibilities | 1.81 (1.06) | 1.92 (0.99) | 1.89 (0.98) | 1.47 (0.95) | 0.011 (1,2,3 > 4) |
10. Discrimination due to gender or social class | 1.31 (1.02) | 1.15 (0.78) | 1.04 (0.81) | 1.33 (1.03) | 0.099 |
11. Expectation vs reality of dental school | 1.66 (1.10) | 1.84 (0.99) | 1.71 (1.11) | 1.69 (0.95) | 0.678 |
12. Approachability of staff | 1.01 (0.99) | 0.93 (0.92) | 0.98 (0.82) | 1.07 (0.96) | 0.794 |
13. Criticism about academic or preclinical work | 1.41 (1.16) | 1.53 (1.05) | 1.83 (1.11) | 1.62 (1.11) | 0.080 |
14. Rules and regulations of the dental school | 1.42 (0.99) | 1.62 (1.05) | 1.75 (0.98) | 1.95 (0.94) | 0.005 (2,3,4 > 1) |
15. Amount of cheating in school | 1.12 (0.89) | 1.21 (0.82) | 1.24 (0.88) | 1.40 (0.88) | 0.195 |
16. Lack of input in decision making process in dental school | 1.69 (1.01) | 2.07 (1.04) | 1.87 (0.91) | 2.15 (0.95) | 0.009 (4 > 1,2,3) |
17. Lack of time for relaxation | 1.91 (0.98) | 2.21 (0.98) | 2.15 (0.99) | 2.33 (0.93) | 0.036 (4 > 1,2,3) |
18. Having reduced holidays compared with other students | 1.55 (0.95) | 1.69 (1.01) | 1.55 (0.89) | 1.53 (0.96) | 0.680 |
19. Amount of assigned course work | 1.42 (1.04) | 1.62 (1.17) | 1.93 (1.03) | 2.19 (0.82) | < 0.001 (4,3 > 2,1) |
20. Lack of time to do assigned school work | 1.55 (1.10) | 1.62 (1.26) | 1.98 (0.83) | 2.05 (0.97) | 0.002 (4,3 > 2,1) |
21. Learning precision manual skills required for clinical and laboratory work | 1.26 (1.04) | 1.45 (0.98) | 1.26 (0.81) | 1.33 (0.92) | 0.498 |
22. Late ending time/completing graduation requirements | 1.84 (1.11) | 2.01 (1.13) | 2.08 (0.99) | 2.27 (1.09) | 0.074 |
23. Language barrier | 1.37 (1.19) | 1.25 (1.10) | 1.14 (1.01) | 1.22 (1.00) | 0.556 |
24. Fear of not being able to catch up if falling behind | 2.12 (1.13) | 2.27 (1.05) | 2.36 (1.01) | 2.34 (0.98) | 0.418 |
25. Lack of confidence to be a successful dental student | 2.14 (1.22) | 2.29 (1.26) | 2.36 (1.20) | 2.01 (1.04) | 0.222 |
26. Uncertainty about dental career | 0.87 (1.02) | 0.98 (0.99) | 0.66 (0.82) | 1.28 (1.11) | 0.001 (4 > 1,2,3) |
27. Lack of confidence to become a successful dentist | 1.17 (0.90) | 1.37 (1.00) | 1.61 (1.08) | 1.34 (1.04) | 0.044 (2,3,4 > 1) |
28. Difficulty of course work | 1.59 (0.96) | 1.82 (1.14) | 1.82 (0.93) | 2.00 (0.99) | 0.075 |
29. Examinations | 2.33 (1.20) | 2.65 (1.04) | 2.74 (1.02) | 2.68 (0.95) | 0.058 |
30. Competition for grades | 1.95 (1.14) | 2.37 (1.09) | 2.48 (0.97) | 2.54 (1.05) | 0.001 (2,3,4 > 1) |
31. Fear of failing a course of the year | 1.83 (1.11) | 1.97 (1.06) | 2.38 (1.01) | 2.34 (1.03) | 0.001 (3,4 > 1,2) |
32. Fear of not having possibility to pursue a postgraduate dental education program | 1.77 (1.06) | 1.96 (1.12) | 2.02 (0.99) | 2.00 (1.07) | 0.378 |