Differences in Emotional Experience and Coping with Human Cadaver Dissection Between a Sample of US and Lebanese Medical Students: A Pilot Study

Abstract

This study compares two groups of first year medical students, one from the USA and another from Lebanon, regarding their emotional reaction and coping strategies to dissection. Students from both cohorts reported mostly positive emotions associated with dissection, such as finding the activity “stimulating” and “challenging.” Adverse emotions such as “scary” or “nauseating” were not strongly felt; yet many reported the experience nonetheless was “emotional.” Among differences in coping strategies, US students were more likely to seek emotional support and use self-distraction. In brief, cultural context may affect the emotional experience and coping strategies related to cadaveric dissection.