A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY ON STRESS LEVELS AND COPING MECHANISMS AMONG FIRST-YEAR MBBS STUDENTS OF SRI AUROBINDO INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, INDORE, MADHYA PRADESH.
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Keywords
Perceived stress; Coping strategies; First-year MBBS; Academic stress; Medical students.
Abstract
Medical students commonly experience stress due to heavy academic workload, frequent examinations, and adjustment to a new learning and living environment, particularly during the first year of MBBS.
Methods : A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted among first-year MBBS students at Sri Aurobindo Institute of Medical Sciences (SAIMS), Indore, over 30 days. A structured questionnaire assessed demographic details, key stressors, perceived impact of stress on well-being/academics, coping mechanisms, and suggested institutional support using Likert-scale responses. Results: A total of 250 students participated; most were below 21 years with a near-balanced gender distribution and mixed residential status. Examination pressure (79.6% agreement) and difficulty managing lecture pace/volume (74.3%) were the most commonly reported stressors, while interpersonal relationship stress was least reported (25.3%). Stress was perceived to affect motivation and healthy lifestyle (65.7% each) and academic performance (64.5%), and was associated with physical symptoms such as headaches/fatigue (64.2%). Common coping strategies included hobbies/leisure activities (77.4%), talking to friends/family (74.0%), and physical exercise/yoga (69.8%), whereas relaxation techniques were less frequently used (35.8%).
Conclusion : First-year MBBS students reported high academic-related stress with perceived negative effects on concentration, motivation, academic performance, and well-being. Students mainly used adaptive coping strategies, but lower use of relaxation practices suggests a need for structured stress-management training. Early institutional supports such as mentoring, peer-support systems, study-skills inputs, and accessible counselling/wellness services are recommended to improve student well-being and resilience.
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Dr Garima Sharma
Associate Professor , Department of Physiology, SAIMS, Indore.
Dr Garima Sinha
Associate Professor , Department of Physiology, SAIMS, Indore.
Dr Jaishree Tapadia
Professor and Head, Department of Physiology, SAIMS, Indore.
