Depressive symptomatology and active coping strategies in Physiotherapy students

Abstract

High levels of stress and depression among students in health sciences are of substantial university and health systems interest. The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between the depressive symptomatology and the use of active coping strategies to deal with academic stress. For this, a study involving 485 physiotherapy students of several Spanish universities was designed. Using the depression subescale of the Symptom Check List-90-Revised and the coping scale of Academic Stress Questionnaire (CEA), depressive symtoms and active coping strategies (positive reappraisal, search for social support and strategic resource planning) were measured. The results suggest that students with higher levels of active coping strategies showed lesser depressive syntomatology rates. Cognitive strategies based on positive reappraisal seem to play a particularly important role in the prevention of depressive symptoms. These findings emphasize the relevance of enhancing active coping strategies to promote effective management of academic stress, and thus reducing depressive symptoms in university students of physiotherapy.