Association Between Socio-Political Stress, Perceived Stress, and Bruxism-Related Clinical Findings Among Iranian University Students Studying in Turkey: A Cross-Sectional Study.
- 1Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Atlas University, Istanbul 34403, Turkey.
- 2Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Atlas University, Istanbul 34403, Turkey.
Abstract
Background: Students who study abroad frequently contend with several stressors at once-among them academic workload, adjustment to an unfamiliar cultural setting, and worries over political events unfolding in their home countries. Because psychological stress has been linked to bruxism, the present study set out to determine whether socio-political stress and perceived stress were associated with bruxism-related clinical findings among Iranian university students studying in Turkey. Methods: This cross-sectional pilot study included 113 Iranian university students. Socio-political stress was assessed using an eight-item researcher-developed module, and perceived stress was measured with the PSS-10. Bruxism-related clinical findings were evaluated by two blinded examiners using a predefined clinical composite. Associations were examined using correlation analyses and fully adjusted logistic regression. Results: Bruxism-related clinical findings were present in 63 participants (55.8%), with excellent inter-examiner agreement for the primary clinical composite (κ = 0.982). Socio-political stress was positively associated with perceived stress (Spearman's rho = 0.339, 95% CI: 0.16-0.49, p < 0.001), but neither socio-political stress nor PSS-10 score was independently associated with bruxism-related clinical findings in the fully adjusted model. Older age (OR = 1.483, 95% CI: 1.203-1.828, p < 0.001) and moderate/high caffeine intake (OR = 4.12, 95% CI: 1.54-11.02, p = 0.005) were associated with higher odds of bruxism-related clinical findings. Conclusions: Socio-political stress was associated with perceived stress but not with bruxism-related clinical findings. Older age and moderate/high caffeine intake were associated with higher odds of these findings.
Related
- Perceived teacher support in ideological and political education and life satisfaction among Chinese university students: an indirect association through presence of meaning in life.
- Dental environmental stressors and their association with perceived stress among undergraduate dental students at a Palestinian University: a cross-sectional study using DES and PSS-10
- Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms in Guangdong University Students: A Cross-Sectional Moderated Serial Indirect-Association Model Involving Self-Esteem, Positive Psychological Capital, and Perceived Social Support.
- Association between perceived greenness and physical exercise among university students: nature connectedness as a statistical mediator and gender as a moderator
- Perceived Stress and Subjective Auditory Sensitivity in Autistic and Non-Autistic University Students: A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study
BibTeX
@article{turkay2026association,
title = {{Association Between Socio-Political Stress, Perceived Stress, and Bruxism-Related Clinical Findings Among Iranian University Students Studying in Turkey: A Cross-Sectional Study.}},
author = {Ece Yılmazkasapoğlu Türkay and Ayşe Nur Parlakyıldız Gökçe and Kübra Yıldız Domaniç},
journal = {Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/healthcare14193224},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42881663},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Association Between Socio-Political Stress, Perceived Stress, and Bruxism-Related Clinical Findings Among Iranian University Students Studying in Turkey: A Cross-Sectional Study.
AU - Ece Yılmazkasapoğlu Türkay
AU - Ayşe Nur Parlakyıldız Gökçe
AU - Kübra Yıldız Domaniç
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/healthcare14193224
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42881663
AB - Background: Students who study abroad frequently contend with several stressors at once-among them academic workload, adjustment to an unfamiliar cultural setting, and worries over political events unfolding in their home countries. Because psychological stress has been linked to bruxism, the present study set out to determine whether socio-political stress and perceived stress were associated with bruxism-related clinical findings among Iranian university students studying in Turkey. Methods: This cross-sectional pilot study included 113 Iranian university students. Socio-political stress was assessed using an eight-item researcher-developed module, and perceived stress was measured with the PSS-10. Bruxism-related clinical findings were evaluated by two blinded examiners using a predefined clinical composite. Associations were examined using correlation analyses and fully adjusted logistic regression. Results: Bruxism-related clinical findings were present in 63 participants (55.8%), with excellent inter-examiner agreement for the primary clinical composite (κ = 0.982). Socio-political stress was positively associated with perceived stress (Spearman's rho = 0.339, 95% CI: 0.16-0.49, p < 0.001), but neither socio-political stress nor PSS-10 score was independently associated with bruxism-related clinical findings in the fully adjusted model. Older age (OR = 1.483, 95% CI: 1.203-1.828, p < 0.001) and moderate/high caffeine intake (OR = 4.12, 95% CI: 1.54-11.02, p = 0.005) were associated with higher odds of bruxism-related clinical findings. Conclusions: Socio-political stress was associated with perceived stress but not with bruxism-related clinical findings. Older age and moderate/high caffeine intake were associated with higher odds of these findings.
SN - 2227-9032
ER -