Introduction:

Medical students are subjected to potentially stressful factors that can lead to psychological illness. Alternatives to traditional training methods, such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL), can impact on students’ mental health. The aim of this study was to carry out a systematic review of studies that evaluate the mental health of medical students submitted to the Problem-Based Learning (PBL) method.

Method:

A highly sensitive search was carried out in the main scientific databases associated with mental health (Cochrane Library, MEDLINE via PUBMED, Regional Health Portal (VHL), Eric and EMBASE) with inclusion up to September 22, 2019. Indexed descriptions and identification terms were defined by specialists and evaluated by the information technology group of the StateUniversity of Pará. The inclusion criteria for the study search were: articles presented in full, written in any language, published in the period from 1998 to 2018, focusing on the mental health of medical students submitted to the PBLmethod. Articles that did not assess mental health, articles in which the sample was not submitted to PBL, andreview articleswere excluded. After selection, the articles were assessed twice by independent reviewers for risk of bias and quality of evidence using the ROBINS-I tool.

Results:

1261 studies were identified, of which 1251 were excluded following the PRISMA protocol, leaving a final sample of ten articles, which were descriptively summarized.In general, studies have shown that PBL, compared to traditional teaching methods, promotes better academic performance, as well as stimulating practical activities, a fact that generates a certain degree of satisfaction.

Conclusion:

Medical students submitted to the PBL method are more likely to be associated with better learning outcomes and medical-scientific performance. However, better study designs, based on rigorous systematic methodologies are required in order to elucidate the benefits and harms of this educational methodology.

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