2026/07/01 by Chun-Lun Hsu, Chih Chung Huang, Cheng-Yi Chao +3
Health Professions · Psychology · #Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout #Occupational Therapy Practice and Research #Resilience and Mental Health
paper · doi:10.1016/j.ajpe.2026.102062
crossref issued 2026/07/01 · crossref published 2026/07/01 · crossref published-print 2026/07/01 · openalex publication_date 2026/07/01 · crossref created 2026/07/30 · crossref deposited 2026/07/30 · crossref indexed 2026/07/30 · openalex created_date 2026/07/31 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
BACKGROUND: Pharmacy students experience alarmingly high mental health challenges, with 18-60% reporting depressive symptoms, 21-50% experiencing anxiety, and up to 17% reporting suicidal ideation. Despite recognizing self-care's importance, students struggle to prioritize well-being, creating a critical knowledge-behavior gap, while professional resilience declines across training. METHODS: This study examined how a two-session mental health educational intervention was associated with reported shifts in pharmacy students' cognition of stress, self-care, and professional resilience, exploring mechanisms bridging the knowledge-behavior gap. Qualitative thematic analysis examined 39 reflective assignments from students completing a two-session mental health educational intervention integrating seven evidence-based components grounded in cognitive behavioral therapy and role modeling theory: young pharmacist instruction, data-driven education, case-based analysis, action-oriented recommendations, safe reflection, cognitive restructuring, and behavioral change strategies. RESULTS: Six interconnected themes emerged demonstrating transformation from anxiety to action: (1) anxiety-driven learning to intrinsically motivated growth; (2) validating suffering and legitimizing help-seeking, reducing stigma; (3) reframing stress as normative and manageable; (4) reconceptualizing self-care as professional competency; (5) building resilience through realistic role modeling; and (6) transformation through psychologically safe pedagogy. Students demonstrated metacognitive awareness, sought support, and developed adaptive professional identities integrating well-being with competence. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive mental health education combining role modeling, and psychologically safe pedagogy facilitated transformative cognitive-behavioral shifts, successfully bridging the knowledge-behavior gap by reconceptualizing well-being as professionally essential. However, individual interventions must be complemented by organizational changes addressing structural stressors. Mental health literacy represents foundational pharmacy education competency, essential for thriving during training and providing quality patient care.