Faculty Collaboration Database

Personality indicators of psychosocial adjustment in first-year medical students. Soc Sci Med 1985;20(1):95-100

Date

01/01/1985

Pubmed ID

3975675

DOI

10.1016/0277-9536(85)90316-8

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0022362845 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   22 Citations

Abstract

One aspect of the Rush Medical College Longitudinal Study is concerned with the identification of personality traits that predict various kinds of psychosocial adjustments and impairments among medical students and physicians. Two orthogonal traits, masculinity and femininity, were selected for study as independent variables because of their implications for mental health and their relevance to the work of physicians. Ninety percent (N = 106) of a class of first-year medical students completed measures of masculinity and femininity during orientation and, 8 months later, completed a broad array of dependent measures of psychological well-being, interpersonal satisfaction, humanistic attitudes and alcohol consumption. Analyses of the data revealed strong and consistent main effects of masculinity on depression, confidence, pleasure capacity, extraversion, locus of control, neuroticism and interpersonal satisfaction. Femininity was associated with depression, pleasure capacity, extraversion, neuroticism, interpersonal satisfaction, concern for the opinion of others and humane attitudes toward patient care. Low femininity was also associated with high alcohol consumption. These results suggest that masculinity and femininity scores may help to identify at the outset medical students at risk for impairment, and that androgynous individuals (who are high in both masculinity and femininity) may be especially well-suited to assume the demanding and varied roles that physicians are called on to play.

Author List

Zeldow PB, Clark DC, Daugherty SR, Eckenfels EJ

Author

David C. Clark PhD Assistant Dean, Professor in the Research Office department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Attitude of Health Personnel
Female
Gender Identity
Humans
Internal-External Control
Longitudinal Studies
Male
Personality
Self Concept
Social Adjustment
Students, Medical