Question 19 – Managing and coping with stress - Questions

Clinical Study: Managing Academic Stress in Medical Students

A clinical psychologist investigated stress-management interventions for 150 medical students reporting extreme academic anxiety. Using a clinical diagnostic stress inventory (scored from 0 to 50, where higher scores represent higher anxiety), 60 students with severe anxiety scores (between 38 and 45) were selected and randomly allocated to one of three conditions:

Condition 1: Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – Six weekly, 90-minute therapist-led group sessions focusing on cognitive restructuring and coping strategies.
Condition 2: Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training (VR-SIT) – A self-guided virtual reality software program completed individually for 20 minutes daily over six weeks, using simulated high-stress medical scenarios with automated feedback.
Condition 3: Bibliotherapy Control – Participants were given a standard self-help booklet on stress-coping techniques to read in their own time over six weeks, with no active therapist contact.

One week post-intervention, all participants completed the stress inventory again.

Table 1: Mean and standard deviation of post-intervention stress scores

	Condition 1: Group CBT	Condition 2: VR-SIT	Condition 3: Bibliotherapy Control
Mean Stress Score	18.2	19.5	35.8
Standard Deviation	2.1	6.4	3.2

A statistical test comparing post-intervention stress scores between Condition 1 (Group CBT) and Condition 2 (VR-SIT) found no statistically significant difference ( $p > 0.05$ ).

Discuss applications and/or implications that might arise from the findings of this study.

Clinical Study: Managing Academic Stress in Medical Students

Condition 1: Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – Six weekly, 90-minute therapist-led group sessions focusing on cognitive restructuring and coping strategies.
Condition 2: Virtual Reality Stress Inoculation Training (VR-SIT) – A self-guided virtual reality software program completed individually for 20 minutes daily over six weeks, using simulated high-stress medical scenarios with automated feedback.
Condition 3: Bibliotherapy Control – Participants were given a standard self-help booklet on stress-coping techniques to read in their own time over six weeks, with no active therapist contact.

One week post-intervention, all participants completed the stress inventory again.

Table 1: Mean and standard deviation of post-intervention stress scores

	Condition 1: Group CBT	Condition 2: VR-SIT	Condition 3: Bibliotherapy Control
Mean Stress Score	18.2	19.5	35.8
Standard Deviation	2.1	6.4	3.2

A statistical test comparing post-intervention stress scores between Condition 1 (Group CBT) and Condition 2 (VR-SIT) found no statistically significant difference ( $p > 0.05$ ).

Discuss applications and/or implications that might arise from the findings of this study.

Managing and coping with stress

Question 6

Clinical Study: Managing Academic Stress in Medical Students

Table 1: Mean and standard deviation of post-intervention stress scores

Managing and coping with stress

Question 6

Clinical Study: Managing Academic Stress in Medical Students

Table 1: Mean and standard deviation of post-intervention stress scores

Managing and coping with stress

Question 6

Clinical Study: Managing Academic Stress in Medical Students

Table 1: Mean and standard deviation of post-intervention stress scores

Managing and coping with stress Questions

Managing and coping with stress

Question 6

Clinical Study: Managing Academic Stress in Medical Students

Table 1: Mean and standard deviation of post-intervention stress scores

Managing and coping with stress Questions