The impact of major earthquakes on the psychological functioning of medical students: a Christchurch, New Zealand study.

Background: No previous studies have systematically assessed the psychological functioning of medical students following a major disaster.

Aim: To describe the psychological functioning of medical students following the earthquakes in Canterbury, New Zealand, and identify predictors of adverse psychological functioning.

Method: 7 months following the most severe earthquake, medical students completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS), the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale, the Work and Adjustment Scale, and Likert scales assessing psychological functioning at worst and currently.

Results: A substantial minority of medical students reported moderate-extreme difficulties on the DASS subscales 7 months following the most severe earthquake (Depression =12%; Anxiety =9%; Stress =10%). Multiple linear modelling produced a model that predicted 27% of the variance in total scores on the DASS. Variables contributing significantly to the model were: year of medical course, presence of mental health problems prior to the earthquakes, not being New Zealand European, and being higher on retrospectively rated neuroticism prior to the earthquakes.

Conclusion: Around 10% of medical students experienced moderate-extreme psychological difficulties 7 months following the most severe earthquake on 22 February 2011. Specific groups at high risk for ongoing psychological symptomatology were able to be identified.