Mental health treatment needs for medical students: a national longitudinal study

PurposeWe aimed to study the occurrence and predictors of medical students' mental health problems that required treatment.Subjects and methodsMedical students from all Norwegian universities (N = 421) were surveyed in their first term (T1), and 3 (T2) and 6 (T3) years later. The dependent variable was “Mental health problems in need of treatment”. Predictor variables included personality traits, medical school stress and negative life events.ResultsThe lifetime prevalence of mental health problems was 15% at T1. At T2, of the 31% who reported problems during the first 3 years, a majority had not sought help. At T3, 14% reported problems during the preceding year. Adjusted predictors of problems at T2 were previous mental health problems (p < .001), low level of intensity personality trait (extraversion) (p < .01), reality weakness personality trait (p < .01), perceived medical school stress (p < .05) and negative life events (p < .05).DiscussionMental health problems during the first 3 years were predicted by previous problems, personality, medical school stress and negative life events.ConclusionA third of the students reported mental health problems during the first 3 years. Intervention should focus on both individual problems and contextual stress.