An analytical cross-sectional study on the relationship of perceived social connectedness and burnout symptoms in medical students from a private tertiary institution in Metro Manila enrolled in an online curriculum for the academic year 2020-2021
Patrick Lorenzo Alvarez | Vashwin Amarnani | Jean Philippe Ambata | Isabella Gabrielle Anonas | Alexis Angelo Arboleda | Noah Arce | Thea Alissa Arceño | Ma. Isabella Arenas | Alexandria R. Bayaoa | Ramon Jason M. Javier
Abstract:
Introduction Online learning was put at the forefront for the safe continuation of education amid the COVID-19 pandemic. This study determined the association of the level of social connectedness and symptoms of burnout in a purely online academic curriculum. Methods This analytical cross-sectional study design included medical students enrolled in a private tertiary institution in the National Capital Region as respondents in an online survey. The perceived social connectedness and symptoms of burnout were objectively measured, using previously validated questionnaires, the Social Connectedness Scale - Revised (SCS-R), and the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI). The prevalence risk ratio (PRR) was computed. Results Of the 119 respondents, majority reported reduced levels of social connectedness (72.3%) and experienced symptoms of burnout (85.7%). Among those with reduced levels of social connectedness (PRR: 1.25; 1.00, 1.55), there was a higher risk of having symptoms of burnout. Conclusion Amid the implementation of a purely online curriculum, medical students with reduced social connectedness had an increased risk of experiencing symptoms of burnout.
References:
- Abbas AM, Hassan IH, Sayad R, Kamel MM, Fatma A, Ahmed L, et al. COVID-19 pandemic and medical education in a developing country. Am J Biomed Sci Res [Internet]. 2020 Jul;9(4):289–90. Available from: https://biomedgrid.com/fulltext/volume9/covid-19-pandemicand-medical-education-in-a-developing-country.001408.php. doi: 10.34297/AJBSR.2020.09.001408
- Baticulon RE, Alberto NRI, Baron MBC, Mabulay REC, Rizada LGT, Sy JJ, et al. Barriers to online learning in the time of COVID-19: A national survey of medical students in the Philippines. medRxiv Med.Sci.Educ [Internet] 2021 Apr; 31: 615–26. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40670-021-01231-z. doi: 10.1101/2020.07.16.20155747
- Lee RM, Robbins SB. Measuring belongingness: The social connectedness and the social assurance scales. J Couns Psychol [Internet] 1995;42(2):232–41. Available from: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1995-23687-001. doi: 10.1037/0022-0167.42.2.232
- Freudenberger, Herbert J. Staff burn-out. J Soc Issues [Internet] 1974;90(1):159–65. Available from: https://spssi.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1540-4560.1974.tb00706.x. doi: /10.1111/j.1540-4560.1974.tb00706.x
- Altannir Y, Alnajjar W, Ahmad SO, Altannir M, Yousuf F, Obeidat A, et al. Assessment of burnout in medical undergraduate students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. BMC Med Educ [Internet] 2019 Jan;19(1):1–8. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6347822/. doi: 10.1186/s12909-019-1468-3
- Kristensen TS, Borritz M, Villadsen E, Christensen KB. The Copenhagen Burnout Inventory: A new tool for the assessment of burnout. Work & Stress 2005 Jul;19(3):192–207. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02678370500297720 doi: 10.1080/02678370500297720
- Pagnin D, de Queiroz V. Influence of burnout and sleep difficulties on the quality of life among medical students. Springerplus [Internet] 2015 Nov; 4:676. Available from: https://springerplus.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s40064-015-1477-6. doi: 10.1186/s40064-015-1477-6
- Erschens R, Keifenheim KE, Herrmann-Werner A, et al. Professional burnout among medical students: Systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Med Teach [Internet] 2019 Feb;41(2):172–83. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0142159X.2018.1457213. doi: 10.1080/0142159X.2018.1457213
- Maslach C, Jackson SE, Leiter MP. Maslach Burnout Inventory: Third edition. In: Zalaquett CP, Wood RJ (editors): Evaluating Stress: A Book of Resources. Scarecrow Education; 1997. p. 191-218.
- Southwick SM, Southwick FS. The loss of social connectedness as a major contributor to physician burnout: applying organizational and teamwork principles for prevention and recovery. JAMA Psychiatr 2020 May 1;77(5):449-50. Available from: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/article-abstract/2761564 doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.4800 11.
- Gogu CV, Kumar J. Student experience of perceived connectedness in online design education [Internet]. In DS 110: Proceedings of the 23rd International Conference on Engineering and Product Design Education (E&PDE 2021), VIA Design, VIA University in Herning. 2021 Sep. Available from: https://www.designsociety.org/publication/43490/STUDENT+EXPERIENCE+OF+PERCEIVED+CONNECTEDNESS+IN+ONLINE+DESIGN+EDUCATION. doi: 10.35199/EPDE.2021.26
- Grieve R, Indian M, Witteveen K, Anne Tolan G, Marrington J. Face-to-face or Facebook: Can social connectedness be derived online? Comput Hum Behav [Internet] 2013 May;29(3):604–9. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0747563212003226. doi: 10.1016/j.chb.2012.11.017
- Diep AN, Zhu C, Cocquyt C, De Greef M, Vanwing T. Adult learners’ social connectedness and online participation: the importance of online interaction quality. Stud Contin Educ [Internet]. 2019 Sep;41(3):326–46. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0158037X.2018.1518899. doi: 10.1080/0158037X.2018.1518899
- Erschens R, Keifenheim KE, Herrmann-Werner A, Loda T, Schwille-Kiuntke J, Bugaj TJ, et al. Professional burnout among medical students: Systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Med Teach [Internet] 2019 Feb;41(2):172–83. Available from: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0142159X.2018.1457213. doi: 10.1080/0142159X.2018.1457213
- Zis P, Artemiadis A, Bargiotas P, Nteveros A, Hadjigeorgiou GM. Medical studies during the COVID-19 pandemic: The impact of digital learning on medical students’ Burnout and mental health. Int J Environ Res Public Health [Internet] 2021 Jan;18(1):1–9. Available from: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/1/349. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18010349
- Bolatov AK, Seisembekov TZ, Askarova AZ, Baikanova RK, Smailova DS, Fabbro E. Online-learning due to COVID-19 improved mental health among medical students. Med Sci Educ [Internet] 2021 Feb;31(1):183–92. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40670-020-01165-y. doi: 10.1007/s40670-020-01165-y
- Madigan DJ, Curran T. Does burnout affect academic achievement? A meta-analysis of over 100,000 students. Educ Psychol Rev [Internet] 2021 Jun;33(2):387–405. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10648-020-09533-1. doi: 10.1007/s10648-020-09533-1
- Rzeszutek M, Schier K. Temperament traits, social support, and burnout symptoms in a sample of therapists. Psychotherapy [Internet] 2014 Dec;51(4):574–9. Available from: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2014-09400-001. doi: 10.1037/a0036020
- Kim B, Jee S, Lee J, An S, Lee SM. Relationships between social support and student burnout: A meta-analytic approach. Stress Heal [Internet]. 2018 Feb;34(1):127–34. Available from: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/smi.2771. doi: 10.1002/smi.2771
- Zhang JY, Shu T, Xiang M, Feng ZC. Learning burnout: Evaluating the role of social support in medical students. Front Psychol [Internet] 2021 Feb;12: 625506. Available from: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.625506/full. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.625506
- Hendrix WH, Cantrell RS, Steel RP. Effect of social support on the stress-burnout relationship. J Bus Psychol [Internet] 1988 Sept;3(1):67–73. Available from: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01016749. doi: 10.1007/ BF01016749
- Ali M, Liaqat A, Sethi MR, Irfan M. Effect of social support on burnout in medical students. J Postgrad Med Inst [Internet] 2018 Sep;32(3):266–70. J Bus Psychol. Available from: https://jpmi.org.pk/index.php/jpmi/article/view/2296. doi: 10.1007/BF01016749
- Chu P Sen, Saucier DA, Hafner E. Meta-analysis of the relationships between social support and well-being in children and adolescents. J Soc Clin Psychol [Internet] 2010 Jun;29(6):624–45. Available from: https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/jscp.2010.29.6.624. doi: 10.1521/ jscp.2010.29.6.624
- Thoits PA. Social support as coping assistance. J Consult Clin Psychol [Internet] 1986 Aug;54(4):416–23. Available from: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1986-30534-001. doi: 10.1037/0022-006X.54.4.416