Technostress in Medical Students During Pandemic-Prompted Distance Education: Adaptation of Technostress Scale Based on Person-Environment Misfit Theory

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the phenomenon of technostress in medical students and its predictors during pandemic-prompted distance education. From a sample of 259 students in a school of medicine at a public university in Turkey, the data were collected using convenience sampling through an online questionnaire based on person-environment misfit theory and were analyzed by means of descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptively, the participant students reported experiencing relatively mild level of technostress. As a result of the multiple regression analysis, regular attendance and participation, adequate learning environment, perceived negativity of distance education, perceived need for psychological support, and year at medical school were all found to be significant predictors of technostress in medical students. This is the first study evaluating technostress on medical students. Students who do not attend classes regularly, do not have an adequate learning environment, have higher degree of perceived negativity of distance education, have need for psychological support and are at higher grade levels experience more technostress. Finally, according to the person-environment misfit theory the major component of technostress in medical students originated from the tool-related component. Although the level of technostress was relatively low, technological tools generate pressure even on the digital native generation.