Factors influencing the negative emotions of undergraduate medical students

The distinct nature of medical education predisposes undergraduate medical students to psychological challenges and in particular negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, and loneliness. The development of negative emotions in these students results from the interplay of multiple factors, mainly including academic overload, interpersonal dynamics, and psychological resilience. Yet, researches on this topic have predominantly used cross-sectional designs and have often relied on samples from a single cultural context, thereby restricting the generalizability of the findings. Therefore, future researches should (i) prioritize longitudinal studies to track the dynamic evolution of negative emotions, (ii) investigate coping strategies for emotion regulation, and (iii) conduct cross-cultural comparisons to identify key influencing factors. In terms of coping strategies, layered interventions can be implemented to incorporate cognitive behavioral strategies to enhance emotion regulation, and a recommendation is to reform training programs to alleviate the overall pressure on medical undergraduates.