Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Immunobiology, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45147, Essen, Germany.
Institute of Medical Education, Center for Translational Neuro- and Behavioral Sciences, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, 45147, Essen, Germany.
BMC Med Educ. 2022 May 31;22(1):416. doi: 10.1186/s12909-022-03498-1.
Risk literacy, i.e., the ability to calculate and apply risk parameters, represents a key competence for risk communication and medical decision making. However, risk literacy is reportedly low in medical students. The successful acquisition of statistical competencies is often difficult, and can be hampered by emotional learning obstacles, calling for interventions to support learning. In this cluster-randomized study, we aimed to translate findings from placebo research to medical education. Specifically, we tested if the acquisition of risk literacy during a seminar unit can be facilitated by positive expectations, induced by a positive and non-threatening framing of the content and learning goals.
The study took place during a mandatory 2.5-h seminar on "risk literacy" for 2 year medical students. The seminar teaches both statistical knowledge and its application in patient communication. To test the effects of expectations on risk literacy acquisition, the (otherwise identical) seminar was framed either as "communication training" (positive framing condition) or "statistics seminar" (negative framing condition). All N = 200 students of the semester were invited to participate, and cluster-randomized to the positive or negative framing condition (4 seminar groups each condition). Risk literacy was assessed with the "Quick Risk Test" (QRT) at the beginning and end of the seminar, along with statistics anxiety and subjective learning success using questionnaires.
Data from N = 192 students were included. At the end of the seminar, risk literacy was increased in both framing conditions, with a significantly greater increase in QRT scores in the positive framing condition. Statistics anxiety was significantly decreased in both framing conditions, with no evidence of group differences. Subjective learning success was overall high and comparable between groups.
Supporting our hypothesis, positive framing led to a significantly greater increase in risk literacy (i.e., in QRT scores). Our data offer first support that positive framing of learning goals may help to facilitate the acquisition of statistical knowledge. Expectation-orientated interventions may thus offer a feasible tool to optimize learning settings and framing of learning objectives in medical statistics courses.
风险素养，即计算和应用风险参数的能力，是风险沟通和医疗决策的关键能力。然而，据报道，医学生的风险素养较低。统计能力的成功习得通常较为困难，并且可能会受到情感学习障碍的阻碍，这就需要干预措施来支持学习。在这项集群随机研究中，我们旨在将安慰剂研究的发现应用于医学教育。具体来说，我们测试了在一个研讨会单元中通过积极的期望是否可以促进风险素养的习得，这种积极的期望是通过对内容和学习目标进行积极和非威胁性的表述来产生的。
该研究在一个强制性的 2.5 小时研讨会期间进行，该研讨会主题为“风险素养”，面向二年级医学生。该研讨会既教授统计知识，也教授其在患者沟通中的应用。为了测试期望对风险素养习得的影响，对（否则完全相同的）研讨会进行了积极表述（积极表述条件）或消极表述（消极表述条件）。邀请了该学期的所有 200 名学生参加，并按积极或消极表述条件进行了集群随机分组（每个条件 4 个研讨小组）。在研讨会开始和结束时，使用“快速风险测试”（QRT）评估风险素养，同时使用问卷调查评估统计学焦虑和主观学习成功。
共纳入了 192 名学生的数据。在研讨会结束时，两种表述条件下的风险素养都有所提高，积极表述条件下 QRT 得分的增加更为显著。两种表述条件下的统计学焦虑都显著降低，但组间无差异。主观学习成功总体较高，且组间相当。
支持我们的假设，积极表述导致风险素养（即 QRT 得分）显著增加。我们的数据首次提供了支持，即学习目标的积极表述可能有助于促进统计知识的习得。因此，期望导向的干预措施可能是优化医学统计学课程学习环境和学习目标表述的一种可行工具。
