A mental wellness module helps improve psychological well-being and mental health knowledge, as well as raise resilience and self-awareness, among dental surgery assistant (DSA) trainees, according to a Singapore study.
Implemented in 2024, this two-part mental wellness module is designed to promote psychological well-being and consists of PERMA-based positive psychology, coping practices, role-playing and team-building. [Proc Singap Healthc 2026;doi:10.1177/20101058261485607]
“The mental wellness module was associated with positive trends in psychological well-being, self-control, and vitality, alongside improved mental health knowledge,” said the researchers, who conducted pre- and postmodule surveys among DSA trainees.
The survey included the 22-item Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWB) assessing six domains (anxiety, depression, positive well-being, self-control, general health, vitality), five mental health knowledge items, four lifestyle behaviour items, and 13 items on perceptions of mental well-being and dental clinic work.
The research team calculated the descriptive statistics and assessed internal consistency via Cronbach’s α. They also analysed a postmodule focus group (n=8) thematically.
Eight DSA trainees completed the premodule survey, and seven completed the postmodule survey (response rate: 100 percent vs 87.5 percent).
Mental health
PGWB total score increased from 48.9 (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 33.1‒64.6) to 59.4 (95 percent CI, 39.8‒79.1), indicating improvement, with positive changes across the domains of anxiety, vitality, self-control, and well-being. Cronbach’s α demonstrated good reliability for PGWB (pre: α, 0.97; post: α, 0.98) and perceptions of dental clinic work (α, 0.83).
“Mental health knowledge improved following the intervention, particularly regarding the benefits of exercise, the prevention of mental disorders, and the distinction between sadness and depression,” the researchers said.
These findings are consistent with a previous study showing that structured educational programmes can increase mental health literacy and reduce stigma. [JAMA 2016;316:2195-2196]
“Despite these gains, misconceptions surrounding the causes of mental illness remained, suggesting that future iterations of the programme should place greater emphasis on challenging persistent misconceptions,” the researchers said.
Furthermore, trainees reporting feelings of depression or anxiety were few. Their confidence in programme completion also improved.
Coping strategies
In thematic analysis, five themes emerged, namely stress triggers, personal coping strategies, perceptions of well-being, positive experience of the module, and future application. Trainees were appreciative of experiential activities and practical coping tools, but lifestyle changes were less evident.
“Qualitative findings suggested that experiential learning and coping strategies were perceived as useful in supporting trainees,” the researchers said. “However, persistent misconceptions, low exercise engagement, and increased anxiety highlight ongoing stressors and the need for sustained, institutional support to promote self-care practices among dental trainees.”
An interesting finding of this study is the limited physical activity among trainees despite greater engagement in self-care, suggesting that knowledge alone is not enough to encourage sustained behavioural change. Workplace and environmental factors may influence the adoption of healthy behaviours, according to the researchers.
“Given the well-established benefits of exercise in reducing anxiety and depression, future programmes should incorporate strategies that facilitate regular physical activity,” they said. [Psychol Res Behav Manag 2020;13:845]