Detection of Vulnerability of Medical Students to Stress: Selfperceived role of Music Therapy in improving Coping Ability

Abstract

Background: Medical students have been known to undergo tremendous stress during various stages of the MBBS course; some break down while others can cope with the same.
Objective: The study aimed to assess medical students’ vulnerability to stress by identifying alterations in cardiovascular parameters
under stress and their resilience score. It was also aimed to find out the personal view of students in considering music therapy for
improving their stress coping ability or resilience.
Methods: Orthostatic and mental stress were imparted in first-year medical students by quick change of posture and reading and
presenting an unknown scientific article within a fixed time, respectively. Cardiovascular parameters were measured by standard
techniques and sources of stress with stress coping strategies and resilience were done by a structured questionnaire. Music therapy
was imparted after college hours with Mozart’s Symphony. All data were expressed as Mean +/- SEM and statistical significance was
assessed by using Student’s ‘T’ Test and correlation.
Results: 100% of students considered academic factors as the primary source of stress, while 52-60% considered physical, emotional
and social factors. Talking to friends was rated to be the most efficient relieving strategy. The subjects were resilient to a considerable
extent and their reaction time was within the normal range. Both orthostatic and mental stress caused increases in the cardiovascular
parameters as compared to rest, with mental stress causing more significant changes. Subjective responses showed that 78.3% rated
music to be highly effective in improving coping ability.
Conclusions: First-year medical students considered academic stress as the most important stress inducer in the first year of their
medical course. Talking to friends was identified as the most effective stress relieving mode. Both orthostatic and mental stress induced significant increases in cardiovascular parameters, mental stress causing more change than the orthostatic one. The majority of students under study perceived and reported music therapy as an effective means of stress coping.