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Impact of Providing Peer Support on Medical Students’ Empathy, Self-Efficacy, and Mental Health Stigma

Background: Peer-support programs in medical school can buffer feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, social isolation, and burnout, drawing upon the benefits of near-peer-support resources. This study examined the effects of providing support to students in a medical school peer-support program. Methods:...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Abrams, Matthew P., Salzman, Joshua, Espina Rey, Andrea, Daly, Katherine
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: MDPI 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9099875/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35564535
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095135
Descripción
Sumario:Background: Peer-support programs in medical school can buffer feelings of inadequacy, anxiety, social isolation, and burnout, drawing upon the benefits of near-peer-support resources. This study examined the effects of providing support to students in a medical school peer-support program. Methods: Using a pre-post, quasi-experimental study design, the investigators surveyed medical students who were peer supporters in their second through fourth years of medical school with four measures assessing (1) empathy, (2) self-efficacy, (3) mental health stigma, and (4) likelihood to assist peers with mental health problems to examine if serving as a volunteer peer supporter had any effect. Participants included 38 medical students that were actively enrolled peer supporters during the 2020–2021 year at a United States allopathic medical school. Results: Medical students who participated as peer supporters were found to have higher ratings of empathy scores (Z = −1.964, p = 0.050, r = 0.34) and self-efficacy scores (Z = −2.060, p = 0.039, r = 0.35) after participation in the program. No significant changes were noted for mental health stigma or likelihood to assist peers with mental health problems. Discussion: Peer-support programs present a low-cost, sustainable modality to promote wellbeing in medical students. There is a growing body of literature documenting the benefits of peer-support services. This brief, novel study examined the effects of providing peer support on the peer supporters and found higher self-reported ratings of empathy and self-efficacy after participation. These findings underscore peer-support programs as a valuable wellness resource not only for medical students who use the services but for those who provide them as well.