| Titel: | A needs assessment of the stressors and coping resources of graduate students in clinical psychology |
|---|---|
| Autor: | Dorff, TA |
| Mediengruppe: | --- |
| Herausgeber: | --- |
| Zeitschrift: | Dissertation Abstracts International: Section B: The Sciences and Engineering |
| Jahr: | 1998 |
| Band: | 58 |
| Heft: | 11 B |
| Seiten: | 6231 |
| Sprache: | englisch; eng |
| Abstract: | This study attempted to assess which aspects of graduate programs in clinical psychology were the most stressful, and which coping resources were the most helpful in alleviating these stressors, for various groups of students. The Stressors and Coping Resources Questionnaire was developed and distributed to 11 APA approved programs in the New York-New Jersey area. 291 clinical psychology graduate students returned the questionnaire (a 33.8% response rate). The quantitative were factor analyzed, and then correlations, T-tests and ANOVA's were implemented (.01 level of significance for all analyses) using this data. Qualitative analyses were done for the short-answer questions and the optional question. The results suggest that overall, applying for internship, comprehensive/qualifying exams, academic work load and financial worries are the most stressful, and that social supports--particularly from spouses/partners, friends, and personal therapists--are the most helpful. These three social supports were overwhelmingly cited as most helpful, in this order, regardless of personal or program variables. Peer supports--both formal and informal--were the most helpful school-related coping resources for students overall. However, people of color (especially African Americans), non-heterosexual students (especially bisexuals), older students, and students with 2+ marginality points reported having more difficulties with peers, found peer support groups significantly less helpful than other students, and experienced coping resources such as career guidance/networking, yoga/meditation, and spirituality/self-awareness as significantly more beneficial than did students overall. Other differences based on personal and program variables were also discussed, as were the relationships between specific stressors and particular coping resources. Suggestions are made for concrete ways to alleviate student stress (both by minimizing the stressors and by enhancing the most effective coping resources), keeping in mind differences between various groups of students regarding what is most stressful and most helpful. ; ############################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################### |