Assessing the Correlation between Medical Students’ Psychological Distress and Their Academic Performance in Makkah, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Background: Stresses associated with medical school expose students to psychological distress that can have negative consequences. The purpose of this study was to screen for psychological distress among medical students, identify stressors, and examine the correlation between these stressors and students’ academic performance. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 219 medical students at the basic science and clinical clerkship training levels at Umm Al-Qura University in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, in 2014. The Mental Health Inventory (MHI-38) was used to assess students’ psychological well-being and distress in terms of anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction. A questionnaire was also used to assess common stressors and collect demographic information and students’ grade point average (GPA). Results: Male students had higher levels of depression, anxiety, and loss of control than female students did. The mean MHI-38 anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction scores were 34.69 ( SD = 7.14), 15.11 ( SD = 3.82), and 3.12 ( SD = 1.01) respectively, indicating the sample was slightly anxious, somewhat depressed, and somewhat satisfied with life. MHI-38 depression scores significantly ( p < 0.05) predicted GPA: students with lower depression levels had a higher GPA. The distress level was equal among medical students in all academic years, and most reported experiencing academic-related stressors. Conclusions: Results showed that psychological distress is common among the sample but is most prominent among males. Less depressed students had a higher GPA, and academic-related stressors were most frequently reported by students. These findings highlight the need for addressing mental health issues and eliminating the risk factors.