Depression in Mexican medical students: A path model analysis.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Medical Education
• Public Health

Background:

• Depression is a prevalent mental health issue among medical students, potentially leading to long-term disadvantages and impacting patient care.
• Limited research exists on predictive models for depression specifically within the Mexican medical student population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a path model analyzing the factors influencing depression in Mexican freshmen medical students.
• To identify key predictors of depression, including anxiety, emotion dysregulation, and coping skills.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study was conducted with 103 non-randomly selected Mexican medical students (ages 18-23).
• Path model analysis was employed to assess the relationships between anxiety, emotion dysregulation, coping skills, and depression.
• Validated Mexican self-report scales were utilized for data collection.

Main Results:

• Anxiety and emotion dysregulation significantly predicted depression.
• Emotion dysregulation directly impacted coping skills and anxiety.
• Anxiety was directly associated with problem drinking and alcohol-related issues.
• The model explained 53.7% of the variance in depression, with excellent fit indices.

Conclusions:

• The study presents a novel model for understanding depression in Mexican medical students.
• Findings suggest potential targets for interventions to mitigate depression and enhance student well-being.
• The model has implications for improving future medical professionals' careers and societal contributions, particularly in Latin American urban settings.