Abstract
Introduction: Medical students face significant mental health challenges as they matriculate through medical training. Research has emphasized the need for more interventions that promote physician trainee well-being and resilience during the early stages of training. Recent interventions have shown to be effective in promoting mental health and well-being; however, no interventions have examined the impact that daily gratitude practice, which is linked to increased well-being, may have on dispositional gratitude levels among medical students. Methods: In Spring 2019, medical students at the University of South Florida were invited to participate in a gratitude program. Participants logged three good things that happened to them each day, for a period of 30 days. Their dispositional gratitude levels were assessed using the short-form Gratitude Resentment and Application Test (GRAT) before and after the 30-day intervention. Participant demographics and changes in GRAT scores from baseline to follow-up were examined. Results: Forty-six medical students volunteered to participate in a short-term, gratitude-focused wellness program. Overall levels of dispositional gratitude increased significantly among medical students (p<.001). While a significant increase in GRAT score was found among the thirty-five female participants (p<.001), no significant change was found among the eleven male participants (p=.154). GRAT scores increased significantly among both first- and second-year medical students (p=.001). However, no significant increases were reported among third- and fourth-year students (p=.109). GRAT scores increased significantly regardless of whether students used a tool to practice gratitude at baseline. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that a 30-day gratitude practice program can improve dispositional gratitude among medical students, particularly among female students and pre-clinical students in years one and two.
Highlights
Medical students face significant mental health challenges as they matriculate through medical training
Our intervention suggests that a 30-day gratitude reflection program can improve dispositional gratitude among medical students, among female students and pre-clinical students in years one and two
Levels of dispositional gratitude increased significantly among medical students overall after a 30-day period of logging three good things that happened to them daily. Results from this program are consistent with previous findings that show an association between daily gratitude practice and short-term increases in levels of dispositional gratitude and overall well-being in other populations
Summary
Medical students face significant mental health challenges as they matriculate through medical training. Research has emphasized the need for more interventions that promote physician trainee well-being and resilience during the early stages of training. Recent interventions have shown to be effective in promoting mental health and well-being; no interventions have examined the impact that daily gratitude practice, which is linked to increased well-being, may have on dispositional gratitude levels among medical students. The severe mental health crisis among physician trainees calls for action. Half of all medical students and resident physicians report symptoms of burnout during their educational training [1]. Medical students enter training with similar or better mental health than their matched peers; as they matriculate through medical training, mental health deteriorates significantly [2]. Support, and stigma continue to serve as barriers to mental health support among this population [4]
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