PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING OF MEDICAL STUDENTS DURING THEIR PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/psy-visnyk/2025.2.1Keywords:
psychological well-being, С. Ryff’s model, medical students, gender, academic year, distance learning, higher medical education, psychological adaptationAbstract
The article presents the results of an empirical study on the psychological well-being of students enrolled in the higher medical education institution in Ukraine under distance learning conditions. The work aimed to assess the level and structural characteristics of psychological well-being among students, considering their academic year and gender. The theoretical framework of the research was based on C. Ryff’s model of psychological well-being, implemented through an 84-item scale adapted for the Ukrainian population. The sample included second to fifth-year students from a state medical university. Data were collected online, and statistical analysis was performed using Stata 15 software, including gender and year-based comparisons, and an integral well-being index was calculated. The results revealed a wave-like dynamic of psychological well-being throughout the educational cycle: the highest scores were observed among students in the earlier years, while the third year emerged as a critical period marked by a decline across most components. The highest scores were recorded on the «Personal Growth» and «Purpose in Life» scales, indicating students’ internal resources despite adverse external conditions. In contrast, the lowest scores were observed on the «Self-Acceptance» dimension, particularly among males, with statistically significant differences across academic years. Although some improvement was observed in the senior years, the initial levels of well-being were not fully regained. Future research should focus on psychological well-being determinants in blended learning environments, the dynamics of emotional functioning, the role of coping strategies and social support during wartime, and the development of interventions to prevent emotional exhaustion.
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