Examining the Effect of a Group-Based Stress Management Course on Empowering the Mental Health of Medical Faculty Students and Resident Physicians: A Randomized Controlled Study

Physicians and medical students have higher rates of depression, anxiety, burnout, and suicide risk than the general population, and this disparity often begins early, even during medical school. Despite substantial distress, help-seeking is frequently limited due to stigma concerns, career fears, and time constraints, which may allow mental health problems to progress unnoticed and become chronic. Preventive interventions during medical education may reduce current distress and help avert more severe disorders later in professional life. Group-based psychoeducation is a cost-effective approach with advantages such as scalability, peer support, and learning benefits without requiring personal disclosure. The WHO Self-Help Plus (SH+) program is an ACT-informed, easily deliverable group stress management course, and randomized controlled trials across settings suggest SH+ can reduce psychological distress and depressive symptoms while improving coping skills and resilience. In Türkiye, evidence on group-based interventions for medical students and resident physicians remains limited and focuses mainly on documenting symptom levels rather than testing interventions; therefore, this study aims to evaluate a group-based stress management course and examine the feasibility and cultural adaptation of SH+-like programs in Turkish medical education.

Inclusion Criteria: * Being a medical student or a resident physician at Eskişehir Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine * Being 18 years of age or older Exclusion Criteria: * Individuals with active suicidal ideation * Individuals with severe mental disorders such as psychotic disorders or bipolar disorder * Individuals with alcohol or substance dependence * Students under 18 years of age