ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Standardized patients (SPs) portray emotionally intense roles that can have unintended deleterious effects including burnout. PURPOSE: This study explored SP characteristics that could serve as protective factors against these adverse effects. The literature suggests that positive reappraisal and mindfulness are protective factors, with positive reappraisal mediating the relationship between mindfulness and burnout. METHODS: Seventy-six SPs completed an instrument measuring burnout, positive reappraisal, and mindfulness. Multiple regression was performed to test the hypothesized mediator model. RESULTS: The results revealed that mindfulness and positive reappraisal explained a meaningful portion of SP burnout variance (R (2) = .31 p < .01). Germane to the mediator model, all correlations were significant: mindfulness and positive reappraisal (a) r = .668; positive reappraisal and burnout (b) r = -.527; and mindfulness and burnout (c) r = -.496, p < 01. When positive reappraisal and mindfulness were included in the model, the previously significant relationship c was no longer statistically significant. The combination of these three relationships supports a mediator model. CONCLUSIONS: Education to enhance mindfulness and positive reappraisal offers a way to offset the adverse effects of portraying intense emotional patient experiences.
Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Emotions , Patient Satisfaction , Stress, Psychological/complications , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Models, Psychological , Patient Simulation , Psychometrics , Regression Analysis , Risk Assessment , Statistics as Topic , Stress, Psychological/psychologyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To determine correlations between personality factors and clinical skills of second-year medical school students. METHOD: Participants were 206 medical students who had completed the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF) and the Clinical Skills Assessment II (CSA II). RESULTS: of the 16PF and CSA II were analyzed using Pearson R. Results Overall CSA II score correlated positively with Warmth and negatively with Abstractedness and Privateness. Communication skills correlated positively with Warmth, Emotional Stability, and Perfectionism and negatively with Privateness. Data gathering correlated positively with Warmth and negatively with Abstractedness. Physical exam and Case presentation subtests had no correlates. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that a relationship may exist between personality and clinical skills.
