Stress and Resilience Development in German Dental Students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Dental students face unique stressors impacting mental health.
• Preventive mental health strategies are crucial for academic success and well-being.
• Long-term integration of resilience training into dental curricula is under consideration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a resilience training program for dental students.
• To assess the impact of the training on mental health, stress, and life satisfaction.
• To explore the potential for long-term integration of such programs in dental education.

Main Methods:

• A 2-day online resilience training was delivered to dental students in Munich.
• Online questionnaires assessed resilience, health behavior, stress, and life satisfaction pre- and post-training.
• A control group and statistical analyses (t-tests, mixed ANOVA) were used over a 6-month period.

Main Results:

• Participants demonstrated significantly increased resilience and reduced subjective stress.
• Overall life satisfaction improved post-training, with qualitative feedback noting enhanced social support.
• Differences in outcomes were observed between preclinical and clinical students, and between sexes.

Conclusions:

• The resilience training provided preventive benefits for dental students' mental health.
• Integrating resilience training into dental curricula is a valuable strategy for student well-being.
• The program's success suggests potential applicability in other academic institutions.