The severe anxiety and moderate to severe stress dental students experience may be associated with their perceived social status when compared to their peers, according to a study published on May 11 in the Journal of Dental Education.
These results highlight the importance of understanding how perceived social status affects students in highly ambitious learning environments, the authors wrote.
“A major takeaway from this study is that not only do the trends between subjective social standing and mental health carry into highly competitive educational environments, but they also appear to increase,” wrote coauthor Dr. James R. Beyer, of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics, Iowa City.
Several health outcomes have been linked to perceived social status (PSS), which is a subjective measure of social position. Although heightened levels of stress, depression, and anxiety are prevalent among dental students, the role of social status among these individuals remains unknown, according to the study.
To explore the potential connection between social status and mental health among dental students, an online survey was distributed in 2023 among predoctoral dental students at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics. Of those, 83 students answered questions about demographic characteristics, perceived stress, perceived anxiety, and social status as it related to its peers and society.
The survey revealed a mean societal perceived social status (range: 1–10) was 6.4 (standard deviation [SD]: 1.3), and the mean status for peers was 6.0 (SD: 1.7), the authors wrote.
Perceived stress (Pearson's r = −0.32, p value = 0.003) and perceived anxiety (r = −0.25, p = 0.020) demonstrated a significant linear relationship with social status among peers but not with society, they wrote.
Adjusted regression models revealed severe anxiety (b = 1.78, p < 0.011), high stress (b = −1.29, p = 0.044, and moderate stress (b = −0.85, p = 0.028) were considerably correlated with lower social status among peers, the authors wrote.
Nevertheless, the study had limitations, including the low response rate of this research may limit the generalizability of results, they wrote.
“Better understanding the role of PSS (perceived social status) and reducing its disparities among students may help mitigate mental health risks and contribute to a more effective and inclusive educational environment,” Beyer and colleague wrote.
