Resilience status of dental students and derived training needs and interventions to promote resilience

Abstract

Background: The concept of resilience is defined differently in the literature, with the definition depending on the criteria under consideration. Currently, the most commonly used definition is: resilience as “psychological resistance to biological, psychological, and psychosocial developmental risks”. In order to systematically enhance resilience, it is necessary to first determine specific training needs. This study examines the resilience status of dental students in Germany from different academic years and derives interventions for resilience enhancement, as the field of dentistry is considered one of the “most stressful professions”.Methods: To determine the resilience status, a questionnaire was developed, consisting of the 10-Item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (10-Item CD-RISC), the Maslach Burnout Inventory Scale (MBI), the Negative Self-Image Scale (NSBS), and five self-formulated closed-ended questions. A total of 320 questionnaires were distributed, with 184 responses (43.7% female) received, including partially completed forms.Results: The resilience status shows an average moderate level of resilience (=28.43; =5.57). The subcomponents of (=23.66; =8.32) and (=33.69; =8.47) indicate an increased risk of burnout, but not (=5.04; =5.50). Overall, the participants have a positive self-image (=1.72; =0.69).Conclusion: The study reveals that dental students have a moderate level of resilience. Dental students are not inherently prone to burnout, but they show reduced levels of emotional exhaustion and personal performance, suggesting a need for interventions in these areas. Possible interventions tailored to these training needs are discussed in the article. Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of these interventions.

Keywords

• dental school
• resilience
• burnout
• stress
• medical education