Adjustment problems of first year medical students

Abstract

Background : Adjustment, which refers to a behavioral process for balancing conflicting needs, or needs against obstacles in the environment, is related to happy life. Inability to make a normal adjustment to some need or stress in the environment may impact on learning, working and others. So, research about adjustment and related factors of the first-year medical students would give information for prevention and solving adjustment problems, as well as giving advice to medical students.

Objectives : To examine the level of adjustment problem and associated factors of medical students of the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University.

Methods : Data were collected from 284 first-year undergraduate students who studied at the Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital in the second semester of academic year 2014. The instruments were

1) Demographic data

2) Thai Emotional Intelligence Test

3) Adjustment problems were assessed by modified Moony Problem Check List : College Form. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics: proportion, percentage, mean and standard deviation. Inferential statistics used to examine the relationship between adjustment problems and associated factors were Pearson’s correlation coefficient, independent samples t-test, One- way analysis of variance and multiple regression analysis.

Results : One hundred and fifty students (52.8%) were male. Most of the subjects had overall adjustment problem at low level (average score 1.93 from the total score of 3). The mean score of emotional intelligence was within the range of normal score for the Thai population. Factor associated with adjustment problems was emotional intelligence that could also be a predictive factor for level of adjustment problems (r2 = 0.367, P <0.01).

Conclusion : Most students had overall adjustment problem at low level and normal scores of emotional intelligence test. Factor associated with adjustment problems was emotional intelligence.