Psychosocial impacts, perceived stress, and learning effects during the transition from preclinical to clinical dental education: Validation and translation of a questionnaire

Abstract

Background: During the first experiences of clinical treatment, dental students face various
challenges. The purpose of the study is to standardize the questionnaire as a suitable tool for
quantitative and qualitative evaluation of psychosocial impact, stress levels, and learning effect
of dental students during the transition fr om preclinical to clinical education in Persian.
Materials and Methods: In this cross‑sectional study a questionnaire including three areas
of psychosocial impact, perceived stress, and learning effect was systematically translated. In
the group of experts, face validity was examined. Then, the content validity ratio (CVR) and
the content validity index (CVI) were determined. The reliability of the questionnaire was
determined by the test–retest method and the Cohen’s Kappa coefficient. In a cross‑sectional
study, the psychosocial impact, stress levels, and learning effect of all students newly admitted
to the endodontic, prosthetics, periodontics, and restorative dentistry departments of Shahid
Beheshti Dental School (128 people) were measured. Mann–Whitney and Spearman–Rho were
used for statistical analysis (P = 0.05).
Results: During the CVR and CVI evaluation, 12 statements were removed from the questionnaire,
and one statement was changed. All valid statements of the questionnaire were considered reliable.
The initial questionnaire was finally developed in the form of 27 items. Interest in clinical treatment
and collaboration between students and faculty had the greatest psychosocial effects. The highest
level of stress among students was seen in the endodontic ward (mean = 3.8). The greatest effect
of learning was seen in different sections in infection control (mean >4).
Conclusion: This study provided a standardized tool in Persian to evaluate the psychosocial
impacts, perceived stress, and learning effect of dental students during the transition to clinical
education and focused on the first clinical treatment experiences. One important psychosocial
factor was collegiality between teachers and students. The ability to communicate well with the
patient is thought to reduce stress.
Key Words: Dental student, learning effect, psychosocial impact, psychological stress