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The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
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Social support in the workplace for physicians in specialization training
Leena Mikkola1, Elina Suutala2, Heli Parviainen2
1a Department of Language and Communication Studies , University of Jyvaskyla , Jyvaskyla , Finland.
Medical Education Online
|February 22, 2018
Summary
Physicians in specialization training find social support crucial for managing work stress and building professional identity. Workplace communication, including support from leaders and colleagues, significantly impacts their learning and well-being.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Occupational Health Psychology
- Professional Development
Background:
- Learning-through-service is integral to specialist training, yet can cause significant stress for physicians.
- Social support is recognized as vital for stress management in medical settings.
- Limited understanding exists regarding how physicians in training perceive workplace social support.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the perceptions of physicians in specialization training (PiST) concerning social support communication.
- To understand the role of social support in the learning-through-service period for PiST.
- To identify sources and functions of social support within the medical workplace.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative study employing inductive analysis of physician-written essays.
- Dataset comprised 120 essays from physicians in specialization training (60 from hospitals, 60 from primary care).
- Analysis focused on descriptions of workplace communication and social support experiences.
Main Results:
- Physicians cited workload demands and lack of control as reasons for needing social support.
- Social support was perceived to effectively manage stress, enhance relational ties, and strengthen professional identity.
- Leaders, senior/junior colleagues, and even individual co-workers (e.g., nurses) were identified as key support sources.
Conclusions:
- Social support functions effectively at both relational and identity levels for physicians in training.
- Workplace communication is multi-functional, impacting problem-solving and social interaction.
- Enhancing professional identity and collegial relationships necessitates focused attention on workplace communication strategies.
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