Stress Medicine
Volume 12, Issue 4, 1996, Pages 247-251

The impact of professional adjustment on the psychological distress of immigrant physicians (Article)

Ponizovsky A. , Ginath Y. , Factourovich A. , Levin K. , Maoz B. , Ritsner M.*
  • a Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Unit, Talbieh Mental Health Center, Jerusalem, Israel
  • b Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Unit, Talbieh Mental Health Center, Jerusalem, Israel
  • c Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Unit, Talbieh Mental Health Center, Jerusalem, Israel
  • d Psychiatric Epidemiology Research Unit, Talbieh Mental Health Center, Jerusalem, Israel
  • e Soroka Medical Center, Beersheba, Israel
  • f Talbieh Mental Health Center, 18 D'lsraeli Street, 91044 Jerusalem, Israel

Abstract

The impact of professional adjustment on the psychological well-being of recent immigrant physicians from the former USSR to Israel was examined. Sources, levels and symptoms of distress were measured by the Demographic Psychosocial Inventory, PERI Demoralization Scale and Brief Symptom Inventory. Data were collected from physicians during two stages in the professional adjustment: the retraining stage (N = 379) and the specialization stage (N = 102). The groups differed significantly in the frequency of reported stressors. Distress level was lower among specializing physicians than in the physician retraining phase. From the most prominent symptoms characterizing distress in the retraining physicians only depression and anxiety persist in specializing physicians. The 'group at risk' for stress-related psychopathology was significantly smaller in specializing than that in retraining.

Author Keywords

Demoralization physicians Professional adjustment Psychological distress Immigration

Index Keywords

anxiety rating scale depression Israel immigration human controlled study USSR adjustment male female high risk population medical education Article adult physician distress syndrome medical specialist normal human
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-0029995707&doi=10.1002%2f%28SICI%291099-1700%28199610%2912%3a4%3c247%3a%3aAID-SMI708%3e3.0.CO%3b2-5&partnerID=40&md5=dbf06a927917a27a769d81e6ac4b1924
DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1099-1700(199610)12:4<247::AID-SMI708>3.0.CO;2-5
ISSN: 07488386
Cited by: 16
Original Language: English