Determining Hopelessness Levels and Related Factors in Veterinary Students

Abstract

This study addresses the level of hopelessness experienced by last-year students at a faculty of veterinary medicine. Moreover, it identifies the factors behind this emotion. A face-to-face questionnaire was administered to 238 last-year students from 2017 to 2021. The questionnaire included questions about sociodemographic and other characteristics, along with the Beck Hopelessness Scale. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and chi-square tests. The findings suggested that nearly 60% of the respondents experienced hopelessness. The analysis also revealed a significant relation between hopelessness levels and variables such as year, gender, expected time of first employment, and psychological status. The results suggested that the current state of mental health is worrying for the veterinary faculty students and therefore for the future veterinarians. For this reason, it can be argued that steps to be taken towards a solution in the veterinary education periods are required.