Exploring emotional wellness: The art of being cheerful about life at medical campus

• Published in: European Journal of Psychology and Educational Studies 2015-04, Vol.2 (2), p.57
• Main Authors: Rehman, Rehana, Nadeem, Sanober, Hussain, Mehwish, Khan, Rakhshaan, Katpar, Shahjahan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2395-2555; 2395-2555
• DOI: 10.4103/2395-2555.170723

Objective: To identify and compare the awareness of emotional wellness (EW) in Private and Public Sector Medical University (MU) students of Pakistan. Materials and Methods: Qualitative and quantitative aspects of EW were evaluated by; a structured questionnaire tailored from wellness wheel by four points Likert's scale; score ranging from 0 to 3. Comparison of scores in Private and Public MU students was done by Mann-Whitney test. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with 20 students from each MU after taking the informed consent, a week after the questionnaires were administered. Results: The aggregate of EW scores was 21.36 +- 4.54 versus 20.54 +- 4.34 in Public versus Private MU students (P = 0.028). Private MU students were; significantly less cheerful and hopeful (P = 0.008), considered not always valued by their family and friends (P < 0.0001) as compared to Public MU candidates. Private students lived life autonomously and did not consider to consult or take help from parents or any other family members (P = 0.0003). They however consulted psychologist/psychiatrist more than Public MU students (P = 0.024). Both type of students nearby significantly helped people during emotional outbursts (P = 0.096). The results of FGDs highlighted the absence of formal advising, mentoring process, wellness organizations, and facilities available to cope with the emotional distress of medical students. Conclusion: Public MU students had sound emotional well-being and took help only from their family members rather than consultation with psychiatrists. The EW being an important indicator of mental health thus needs to be catered at the undergraduate level.