Coping strategies used by undergraduate medical students experiencing psychological distress in Zimbabwe

Medical students often experience high levels of psychological distress and adopt diverse coping strategies to manage its effects. This study examined the associations between coping strategies and psychological distress among medical students in Zimbabwe. A quantitative survey design was employed with 123 respondents selected through stratified and simple random sampling from two emerging medical schools. Data were collected using the Revised Student-Life Stress Inventory and the Coping and Dispositional Inventory, and regression analysis was conducted to assess relationships between coping styles and distress. Findings revealed that problem-focused coping strategies, particularly instrumental social support, planning, and active coping, were significantly and negatively associated with psychological distress, underscoring their protective role. Adaptive emotion-focused strategies such as humour, acceptance, religious coping, and emotional support also contributed to resilience, though their effectiveness was more context-dependent. In contrast, maladaptive strategies, including suppression, disengagement, withdrawal, and venting, were positively associated with distress, highlighting their detrimental impact. Substance use, while present, showed no significant association, possibly reflecting underreporting. The study contributes to Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model by demonstrating how effective coping depends on stress appraisal and cultural context. In practice, it recommends that medical schools strengthen adaptive coping through structured problem-solving, emotion regulation, and peer support to enhance resilience and reduce reliance on maladaptive strategies.