Characteristics of a population of medical students reported to the University Student Counseling Service "Fatti vivo!

Introduction. During the last years, in Italy as well abroad, psychological counseling has been spreading through university environment, offering a range of opportunities, from individual settings to post-counseling group psychotherapies. Medical students, on the basis of data from several works within international literature, would represent a population particularly exposed to stressors. Materials and methods. In our study we have recruited a sample of 44 medical students at Sapienza University of Rome. As evaluation tools we have used: a gathering card of socio-demographic variables, the StructuredClinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders Clinical Version (SCID-I CV) and a satisfaction card of the service. Results. Fourteen students showed one or more diagnosis in Axis 1 of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). Frequency analysis through χ 2 test has underlined statistically significant differences relative to geographic origin variable. The service has been evaluated as alright. Discussion. Although the data presented need deeper and more extensive verifications, our study supports the need of a service of psychological counseling devoted to university population and, even more, to medical students.

Introduction. During the last years, in Italy as well abroad, psychological counseling has been spreading through university environment, offering a range of opportunities, from individual settings to post-counseling group psychotherapies. Medical students, on the basis of data from several works within international literature, would represent a population particularly exposed to stressors. Materials and methods. In our study we have recruited a sample of 44 medical students at Sapienza University of Rome. As evaluation tools we have used: a gathering card of socio-demographic variables, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders Clinical Version (SCID-I CV) and a satisfaction card of the service. Results. Fourteen students showed one or more diagnosis in Axis 1 of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). Frequency analysis through chi(2) test has underlined statistically significant differences relative to geographic origin variable. The service has been evaluated as alright. Discussion. Although the data presented need deeper and more extensive verifications, our study supports the need of a service of psychological counseling devoted to university population and, even more, to medical students.