Supporting doctors’ mental health: Exploring the utility of a life skills programme for interns in rural Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Abstract

Background. Occupational stress affecting junior doctors poses a serious risk to mental health, with consequences such as anxiety, burnout, substance misuse and suicide. Objectives. To evaluate the utility of a life skills training programme (LSTP) developed and implemented at Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, in improving stress levels and coping abilities among second-year medical interns. Methods. We used a quasi-experimental pre-post quantitative design without a control group. Identical surveys were administered before and after the intervention, including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) and items on coping behaviours. Descriptive statistics, paired t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used for analysis. Results. Of 56 eligible interns, 45 (80.4%) completed both pre- and post-intervention assessments. Stress scores decreased significantly (from mean 2.92 to 2.51, p<0.001), while coping scores improved (from mean 3.26 to 3.48, p=0.001). Wilcoxon tests confirmed significant gains, with enhanced confidence in ethical reasoning (Z=–5.014, p<0.001), professionalism (Z=–2.673, p=0.008) and teamwork (Z=–2.357, p=0.018). Participants who were single or lived alone showed higher stress levels. Subgroup analysis also revealed that interns who were single or lived alone had lower coping scores. Conclusion. The LSTP improved interns’ mental wellbeing and coping mechanisms. Findings support integrating life skills training into internship programmes.