Impact of Family Function and Psychosocial Factors on Development of Anxiety and Depression in First-Year Medical Students

BACKGROUND In the first year of studies, students face many changes. On one side is the demanding medical education, and on the other side, is to find a balance with old friends, parents, and a new social environment. These changes may result in psychological symptoms such as anxiety or depression, which is the most commonly, reported mental disorder among students. This study intended to explore the presence of anxiety and depression symptoms in first-year medical students and investigate how family cohesion, flexibility and psychosocial factors influence anxiety and depression. METHODS 149 medical students (76.5 % females and 23.5 % males) took part in a crosssectional study. The survey was conducted via the sociodemographic questionnaire, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, the short version of Loneliness Scale, Family Adaptability & Cohesion Scale, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory. RESULTS The prevalence of moderate and severe anxiety and depression symptoms among medical students was 53.8 % and 19.5 %, respectively. Female students experienced higher levels of anxiety and depression compared to their male colleagues. Students who had physical activities at least once a week showed significantly lower anxiety and depression scores. Anxiety and depression were positively associated with loneliness and negatively associated with perceived social support from family and self-esteem. Depression was also negatively associated with family cohesion and adaptability. Moreover, the results revealed that family cohesion was a strong predictor of the severity of depression symptoms. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that variables such as gender, physical activities, feeling of loneliness, low self-esteem, and perceived social support from family play an important role in the experience of anxiety and depression among medical students. This study raises awareness about mental disorders in medical students, especially anxiety and depression, and invites the placement of these problems among the top priorities of public health policies. KEY WORDS Anxiety; Depression, Family Relations, Students