Investigation of Correlation between Coronavirus Anxiety, Academic Motivation and Attitude towards the Field Education in Medical Students

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus pandemic has created a wide range of psychological complications. Students of medical sciences, like health personnel, are at a high risk of infection with coronavirus. The present study is an attempt to examine the correlation between anxiety caused by coronavirus and attitude and motivation toward the field of study in medical sciences students at Ilam University of Medical Sciences. METHODS: This correlational study was done on 373 students in different fields of medical sciences at Ilam University of Medical Sciences from April to September 2020. The participants were selected through stratified random sampling. Data gathering was done using Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS), Academic Motivation Scale (AMS), and Educational Attitude Standard Questionnaire. The questionnaires were completed online by the participants. The data were analyzed using SPSS software and Pearson's correlation test, independent t-test and analysis of variance at a significance level of (P<0.05). RESULTS: Based on the Pearson correlation coefficient, the relationship between COVID-19 anxiety and educational motivation (P=0.001) and attitude (P=0.03) was inverse and significant. There was a significant statistical difference in the average score of anxiety caused by coronavirus in students of different fields. The highest mean anxiety score was in the operating room students and the lowest anxiety score was in the laboratory science field (P=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Coronavirus pandemic has created anxiety and lowered educational motivation and attitude in students of different fields of medical sciences.