The Human Side of PBL: Psychological Well-being of Health Sciences Students and Academic Staff: An Integrative Review

Purpose This integrative review examines the psychological wellbeing of health sciences students and academic staff within Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and active learning environments, addressing the human dimension often overlooked in educational research. Methods A comprehensive search of MEDLINE (PubMed), ERIC, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and EBSCO databases was conducted for primary research studies published between January 2010 and December 2024. Inclusion criteria encompassed peer-reviewed articles examining psychological wellbeing, mental health, stress, anxiety, burnout, resilience, or emotional aspects of PBL and related active learning approaches in health sciences education. Whittemore and Knafl's integrative review framework guided the methodology, with thematic analysis used for data synthesis. Results Analysis of 24 studies from 18 countries revealed complex psychological impacts of PBL and active learning on both students and faculty. Students demonstrated enhanced critical thinking, motivation, self-efficacy, and resilience-building, but also experienced significantly higher emotional stress, initial anxiety with new modalities, procrastination-related challenges, and burnout comparable to traditional curricula. Notably, burnout appeared to reflect systemic issues (lack of sleep, unsupportive environments) rather than pedagogy-specific factors. Faculty experiences (n = 2 studies) revealed initial role uncertainty and anxiety, but also psychological respite, professional enrichment, and improved wellbeing through facilitation. Key success factors included appropriate facilitator support, tutorial structure, case authenticity, group harmony, and adequate resources. Implications Active learning implementation must consider psychological dimensions alongside pedagogical outcomes. Findings suggest need for systematic wellbeing support, comprehensive faculty development, curriculum mapping for resilience-building, and institutional policies addressing systemic stressors. This review contributes to Teaching and Learning by highlighting the necessity of human-centered approaches to educational innovation in healthcare sciences.