PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS IN LAW STUDENTS AND LAWYERS: IMAGINED, INGRAINED, OR INDUCED? (STRESS, PSYCHOPATHOLOGY, SCHOOL).

Abstract

The anecdotal literature suggests that the process of legal education impairs the maintenance of emotional well being in law students. The purpose of this paper is to present the results of a cross-sequential research design to determine the effects of the law school process. Data was collected, using four standardized self-report instruments (Brief Symptom Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Multiple Affect Adjective Checklist, and Hassle Scale), on subjects prior to and during law school, and after graduation. Prior to law school, subjects expressed similar psychopathological symptom responses as compared with the normal population. Yet during law school and after graduation symptom levels were significantly elevated. The implications of these results are presented.