ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ANXIETY LEVELS AND COPING STRATEGIES AMONG UNDERGRADUATE DENTAL STUDENTS IN KARACHI: AN ANALYTICAL CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Objective: To examine the association between coping style (predominantly maladaptive vs adaptive) and anxiety levels among undergraduate dental students in Karachi, Pakistan.

Methodology: An analytical cross-sectional survey was conducted at Jinnah Medical and Dental College (JMDC), Karachi. Anxiety was assessed using Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7; 0-21) and coping using a 19-item adaptation of the Brief-COPE (1-4). Domain means were computed, and “predominantly maladaptive” coping was defined as maladaptive mean > adaptive mean. Logistic regression modeled maladaptive coping on GAD-7 score; ordinal logistic regression modeled GAD-7 category on coping style using robust standard errors. Complete-case analyses included n=168 (total n=175).

Results: Mean age was 21.31 ± 1.82 years; 37.7% reported predominantly maladaptive coping. The largest ethnic groups were Urdu-speaking (36.1%) and Sindhi (21.9%). Each 1-point increase in GAD-7 score was associated with higher odds of maladaptive coping (OR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02-1.15; p=0.0067), equivalent to OR 1.54 per 5-point increase. Predominantly maladaptive coping was associated with higher odds of a higher anxiety category (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.25-3.80; p=0.006).

Conclusion: Predominantly maladaptive coping was associated with higher anxiety among undergraduate dental students.