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The purpose of this research was to study the effectiveness of a stress management program among students at the Health Science Center (HSC), Kuwait University. This study utilized a quasiexperimental research design in which the participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) the control group or (2) the experimental (intervention) group. The participants received a comprehensive educational seminar relevant to stress management (i.e., a presentation, written hand-outs and a structured home program). The program addressed nine topics pertaining to stress management strategies: breathing and imagery techniques; self-care routines; planning for success; meditation strategies; monitoring mechanisms for coping; seeking help for mental health, exercise and health; cognitive behavioral therapy tips (CBTs); and psychoeducation. The demographic data along with using two validated tools were collected through online google form; the validated tools were: (1) the Perceived Stress Scale and (2) the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21. Nonparametric tests, including Wilcoxon signed-rank tests and Kruskal‒Wallis tests, were used to investigate statistically significant differences between the median scores of the control and intervention groups (p values < 0.05). Ninety-eight participants participated in the stress management program (56 participants in the intervention group and 42 in the control group). There was a significant improvement in stress and depression in the intervention group compared with the control group (p values < 0.05). With respect to the value of the stress management program, additional online postintervention survey questions were filled out by the intervention group; 82.1% ( n  = 46) of the intervention group agreed that the stress management program was useful, and 89.3% ( n  = 50) agreed that they would recommend that other students utilize this program regularly in the future. In conclusion, in this study, we developed, implemented, and evaluated the effects of a stress management program among HSC students. The program improved HSC students’ mental health while reducing their depression and stress levels. Most importantly, the study findings presented here were feasible and could provide important information that can be applied to future studies and used as invaluable mental health resources for students at different university programs. Thus, future studies with larger representative samples and true randomized controlled trials are needed to consolidate our findings concerning the value of such scientifically driven and culturally relevant stress management program.

Background Collaborative interprofessional practice is an important means of providing effective care to people with complex health problems. Interprofessional education (IPE) is assumed to enhance interprofessional practice despite challenges to demonstrate its efficacy. This study evaluated whether an IPE programme changed students’ attitudes to interprofessional teams and interprofessional learning, students’ self-reported effectiveness as a team member, and students’ perceived ability to manage long-term conditions. Methods A prospective controlled trial evaluated an eleven-hour IPE programme focused on long-term conditions’ management. Pre-registration students from the disciplines of dietetics ( n  = 9), medicine ( n  = 36), physiotherapy ( n  = 12), and radiation therapy ( n  = 26) were allocated to either an intervention group ( n  = 41) who received the IPE program or a control group ( n  = 42) who continued with their usual discipline specific curriculum. Outcome measures were the Attitudes Toward Health Care Teams Scale (ATHCTS), Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS), the Team Skills Scale (TSS), and the Long-Term Condition Management Scale (LTCMS). Analysis of covariance compared mean post-intervention scale scores adjusted for baseline scores. Results Mean post-intervention attitude scores (all on a five-point scale) were significantly higher in the intervention group than the control group for all scales. The mean difference for the ATHCTS was 0.17 (95 %CI 0.05 to 0.30; p  = 0.006), for the RIPLS was 0.30 (95 %CI 0.16 to 0.43; p  < 0.001), for the TSS was 0.71 (95 %CI 0.49 to 0.92; p  < 0.001), and for the LTCMS was 0.75 (95 %CI 0.56 to 0.94; p  < 0.001). The mean effect of the intervention was similar for students from the two larger disciplinary sub-groups of medicine and radiation therapy. Conclusions An eleven-hour IPE programme resulted in improved attitudes towards interprofessional teams and interprofessional learning, as well as self-reported ability to function within an interprofessional team, and self-reported confidence, knowledge, and ability to manage people with long-term conditions. These findings indicate that a brief intervention such as this can have immediate positive effects and contribute to the development of health professionals who are ready to collaborate with others to improve patient outcomes.

The aim of this study was to investigate student attitudes toward interprofessional education and collaborative practice and their perceptions of simulation design elements after participating in an interprofessional simulation educational activity. Patient safety continues to be an international healthcare priority. However, critical incidents to patients continue to persist due to poor communication between professionals and poor teamwork. A mixed methods design. The study sample consisted of Bachelor of Nursing (n=81), Paramedic (n=38) and Emergency Telecommunication (n=11) students randomized into interprofessional groups. Following the interprofessional learning experience, students completed two standardized self-reporting instruments, Students Perceptions of Interprofessional Clinical Education, National League for Nursing Simulation Design Scale and open-ended questions of their perceptions on teamwork and collaboration, communication skills, transfer of care and patient safety. Students in each program reported high scores for attitudes toward the importance of teamwork and collaborative practice. There were significant differences in scores between programs for the ranking factors ‘Teamwork and Team-Based Practice’ (BN=4.74 SD 0.72, PM=4.66 SD 0.81, ET=4.95 SD 0.15 *; p = 0.00005) and ‘Roles & Responsibilities’ (BN=3.78 SD 1.12, PM=3.55 SD 0.92, ET=4.67 SD 0.85*; p= 0.012). Themes included: communication and collaboration in teamwork; roles, responsibilities and leadership; patient-centred care and safety; and emotional dynamics and professional growth. An interprofessional simulation is an effective strategy to practice teamwork and collaboration and communication skills during transfer of care. Ensuring earlier education of roles and responsibilities during transfer of care needs review as do strategies for structured handover communication tools.

Background Manual therapy is a fundamental component of physiotherapy education, requiring students to develop complex procedural skills through structured instructional methods. Sweller’s cognitive load theory can provide a framework in manual therapy education on how teaching design affects learning efficiency, especially in the acquisition of procedural skills. This study examines the impact of different teaching approaches on students’ cognitive load in manual therapy education. Methods A randomized controlled educational study was conducted with 48 physiotherapy students from two cohorts in spring 2022 and 2023. Participants were randomly assigned to an individual practice group (learning one technique at a time) or a series practice group (learning 3–4 techniques simultaneously). A questionnaire assessed global cognitive load as the primary outcome and intrinsic, extraneous, and germane cognitive load as secondary outcomes. Results 477 questionnaires were analysed. Global cognitive load was significantly lower in the individual group than in the series practice group (MD = -0.55, 95% CI -0.87 to -0.22). Compared to the series practice group, the individual practice group had lower intrinsic cognitive load (MD = -0.29, 95% CI -0.40 to -0.18), slightly lower extraneous cognitive load (MD = -0.07, 95% CI -0.13 to -0.01), and reduced germane cognitive load (MD = -0.29, 95% CI -0.43 to -0.17). Conclusion Teaching manual therapy one technique at a time may reduce cognitive load, potentially enhancing student learning and performance. This approach underscores the value of applying cognitive load theory in instructional design for physiotherapy education, offering practical benefits for teaching strategies.

Background For learners underrepresented in medicine (UIM), a heightened sense of belonging may be critical to creating shared awareness of diversity and fostering an inclusive educational environment. Despite ongoing efforts from academic medical institutions to promote and retain diverse individuals, few studies have investigated the foundational role of pre-health professions education in shaping students’ sense of belonging, and fewer still have leveraged the potential of arts- and humanities-based approaches in doing so. This study aimed to evaluate the perceived impact of race- and gender-diverse visual representations of health professionals on pre-health students’ sense of belonging. Methods Twenty-eight pre-health professions students at one large undergraduate academic institution were randomized to one of two study groups. Each group participated in a visual arts-based workshop to discuss images depicting either gender- and race-diverse or non-diverse health professionals. All participants completed a pre- and post-workshop survey consisting of select items from the Professional Identity Questionnaire (PIQ), as well as an additional open-ended survey after viewing the images from the other study group. Changes in PIQ item scores were analyzed using chi-square statistics, and free-text survey responses underwent thematic analysis. Results Although PIQ item score changes were not statistically significant in either group, both showed an overall directional increase that was more pronounced in the study group exposed to diverse images. Qualitative analysis of responses to open-ended survey items were grouped into four overarching themes: “Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) converges with other aspects of intersectional identity,” “sense of belonging drives motivation,” “perceptions of medicine are shaped early in training,” and “cross-group exposure stimulates metacognitive thinking.” Conclusion Integrating arts and humanities programming into pre-health professions education may help cultivate a sense of belonging among UIM students, providing a robust platform for the critical dialogues essential in advancing inclusivity within healthcare settings.

Background Educational computer games are examples of computer-assisted learning objects, representing an educational strategy of growing interest. Given the changes in the digital world over the last decades, students of the current generation expect technology to be used in advancing their learning requiring a need to change traditional passive learning methodologies to an active multisensory experimental learning methodology. The objective of this study was to compare a computer game-based learning method with a traditional learning method, regarding learning gains and knowledge retention, as means of teaching head and neck Anatomy and Physiology to Speech-Language and Hearing pathology undergraduate students. Methods Students were randomized to participate to one of the learning methods and the data analyst was blinded to which method of learning the students had received. Students’ prior knowledge (i.e. before undergoing the learning method), short-term knowledge retention and long-term knowledge retention (i.e. six months after undergoing the learning method) were assessed with a multiple choice questionnaire. Students’ performance was compared considering the three moments of assessment for both for the mean total score and for separated mean scores for Anatomy questions and for Physiology questions. Results Students that received the game-based method performed better in the pos-test assessment only when considering the Anatomy questions section. Students that received the traditional lecture performed better in both post-test and long-term post-test when considering the Anatomy and Physiology questions. Conclusions The game-based learning method is comparable to the traditional learning method in general and in short-term gains, while the traditional lecture still seems to be more effective to improve students’ short and long-term knowledge retention.

IntroductionEmergency workers dedicate their lives to promoting public health and safety, yet suffer higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression (MD) compared with the general population. They also suffer an associated increased risk for physical health problems, which may be linked to specific immunological and endocrine markers or changes in relevant markers. Poor physical and mental health is costly to organisations, the National Health Service and society. Existing interventions aimed at reducing risk of mental ill health in this population are not very successful. More effective preventative interventions are urgently needed. We first conducted a large-scale prospective study of newly recruited student paramedics, identifying two cognitive factors (rumination and resilience appraisals) that predicted episodes of PTSD and MD over a 2-year period. We then developed internet-delivered cognitive training for resilience (iCT-R), a supported online intervention, to modify cognitive predictors. This protocol is for a randomised controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of the resilience intervention.Methods and analysis570 student paramedics will be recruited from participating universities. They will be randomly allocated to iCT-R or to supported online training of an alternative, widely available intervention or to training-as-usual. Follow-up will occur after the intervention/standard practice period and at 6, 12 and 24 months. Primary outcomes include rates of PTSD and MD and subsydnromal PTSD and MD, measured by the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition, the Patient-Health Questionnaire-9 and the Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition. Secondary outcomes include measures of resilience, rumination, anxiety, psychological distress, well-being, salivary cortisol, plasma levels of C-reactive protein, smoking and alcohol use, weight gain, sleep problems, health-related quality of life, health resource utilisation and productivity.Ethics and disseminationThe Medical Sciences Inter-Divisional Research Ethics Committee at the University of Oxford granted approval, reference: R44116/RE001. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. Access to raw data and participant information will be available only to members of the research team.Trial registration number ISRCTN16493616; Pre-results.

The purpose of the present study was to explore the effects of a mindfulness practice on participants' levels of self-compassion, perfectionism, attention, and perceived and biological stress. This was a between-groups design. Experimental participants engaged in a short mindfulness practice weekly for one academic semester; control participants did not. All participants completed three self-report scales measuring perceived stress, self-compassion, and perfectionism before and after mindfulness sessions. In addition, electrophysiological measures were taken before and after to determine changes in biological markers of stress and attention. Experimental participants also kept reflective journals that were analyzed qualitatively. Compared with control participants, by the end of the semester, experimental participants' perceived stress levels and potentially negative aspects of perfectionism decreased and biological markers of stress and self-compassion improved. Experimental participants' reflective writings indicated they perceived the sessions to be beneficial. Although the results are promising, no significant effect was found for attention. Engaging in a 20-min mindfulness practice using simple yoga posture and breath work across an academic semester appears to be effective in reducing students' perceived and biological stress levels and maladaptive aspects of perfectionism and in increasing their self-compassion. These are all factors that can improve students' overall well-being.

To explore whether a team-based learning strategy applied to an interprofessional course on basic science changes students' perception of communication and teamwork skills and attitudes as related to interprofessional learning. A mixed-methods approach was utilized. The participants were selected through an opportunity sample of 33 first-semester anatomy students from occupational therapy and orthoptics programs. Students completed an interprofessional questionnaire before and after the course. The data were analyzed descriptively. Fourteen students were selected randomly for group interviews. Qualitative data was interpreted using thematic analyses. The pre-test scores for 'communication and teamwork skills' and 'interprofessional learning' were high with mean values of 26.58 and 34.24, respectively. The post-test scores were 27.30 and 34.27, respectively, indicating no relevant changes in students' perception and attitudes. Qualitative data suggested that team-based learning represents a valid strategy to encourage communication and teamwork skills but revealed a lack of interprofessional exchange during the course. Students reported that classroom activities must require the professional knowledge of all participating groups in order to prevent a negative attitudinal shift towards interprofessional education in the later years of their studies. Implementing team-based learning in basic sciences can encourage communication and teamwork among students. Mixed classes can help socialize students of different professional groups, although they carry a risk of a negative attitudinal shift towards interprofessional education. Whether, and in what ways, effective interprofessional exchange during the teaching of basic sciences can be achieved needs further investigation.

Longitudinal research investigating the enduring impact of mindfulness training is scarce. This study investigates the six-year effects of a seven-week mindfulness-based course, by studying intervention effects in the trajectory of dispositional mindfulness and coping skills, and the association between those change trajectories and subjective well-being at six-year follow-up. 288 Norwegian medical and psychology students participated in a randomized controlled trial. 144 received a 15-hour mindfulness course over seven weeks in the second or third semester with booster sessions twice yearly, while the rest continued their normal study curricula. Outcomes were subjective well-being, and dispositional mindfulness and coping assessed using the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire and the Ways of Coping Checklist. Analyses were performed for the intention-to-treat sample, using latent growth curve models. At six-year follow-up, students receiving mindfulness training reported increased well-being. Furthermore, they reported greater increases in the trajectory of dispositional mindfulness and problem-focused coping along with greater decreases in the trajectory of avoidance-focused coping. Increases in problem-focused coping predicted increases in well-being. These effects were found despite relatively low levels of adherence to formal mindfulness practice. The findings demonstrate the viability of mindfulness training in the promotion of well-being and adaptive coping, which could contribute to the quality of care given, and to the resilience and persistence of health care professionals. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00892138.