Effectiveness of a Short Education Series to Reduce Anxiety for Health Professions Graduate Students: A Pilot Study

In college and graduate programs across the United States, educators have become aware that the psychological well-being of the current generation of students (often referred to as "Millennials") needs to be an important area of focus. In 2007, 50.7% of American college students met the clinical criteria for a depressive or anxiety disorder. In the 2010 American College Health Survey, 48% of college and university respondents felt overwhelming anxiety at least once in the preceding year. These data make it clear that there is a need for effective interventions to help students reduce the emotional distress they experience. This pilot study examined the effects of an educational intervention on anxiety in graduate students. The intervention included cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness training, in addition to education about lifestyle health behaviors and study habits. First year graduate students in the UT Southwestern School of Health Professions were recruited for the pilot study. The study design included 4 educational sessions to provide education/training in CBT, mindfulness, lifestyle, and study habits. Subjects completed outcome measures before and after the intervention including the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and a survey about subjects' behaviors in the domains targeted in the study. Results indicated a decrease in student distress in DASS-21 overall and individual subtest scores. The results suggest that a comprehensive intervention was successful in impacting the depression, anxiety, and overall stress levels of the involved students.