Assessments of Self -Esteem and Stress among Babylon Medical College students

Abstract

background: medical students experience a high level of stress during their undergraduate course. High level of stress may have a negative effect on cognitive functioning and learning of students in the medical school.The objectives: to assess stress, self-esteem among medical students and some factors effect on them and the effect of stress on self -esteem.Material and method: (185) undergraduate students of medical college Babylon university that were selected randomly. A written questionnaire about some socio-demographic information, assess the stress and the self -esteem. Weight and height of the participant students was also taken.Results: (49%) of participants have normal Self-esteem and (57%) of participants have medium stresses and low level of high stress (14.8%) with no significant associations of stress with participant gender , study level and residence and with body mass index with increase in frequency of high stress in underweight students. There was significant association of Self-Esteem Scale with study level, delay in academic years and using computer and reduce level of self-esteem with increased level of stressConclusion: about half of students reported normal self -esteem with medium stress and low level of high stress during period of examination and reduce level of self-esteem with increased level of stress.