scholarly journals Affective and cognitive components of students’ attitudes towards communication learning - validation of the Communication Skills Attitude Scale in a cohort of polish medical students

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Przymuszała ◽  
Magdalena Cerbin-Koczorowska ◽  
Patrycja Marciniak-Stępak ◽  
Łucja Zielińska-Tomczak ◽  
Martyna Piszczek ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) is a recognized tool for assessment of attitudes towards communication learning. In the original version, it consists of 26 items divided on theoretical assumptions into two subscales: Positive and Negative Attitudes Scales. However, the evidence for its structure seems unsatisfactory, and a simple division into positive and negative attitudes may be insufficient to describe attitudes of medical students towards communication learning. Moreover, the existing evidence of the test-retest reliability of the CSAS seems limited. Consequently, this study aimed to provide more evidence on its psychometric properties while validating the CSAS questionnaire in a cohort of Polish medical students. Methods The CSAS was translated, adapted into Polish, and validated in a cohort of 389 Polish medical students. Statistical analysis involved, among others, parallel analysis to determine the number of factors, confirmatory factor analysis to compare the proposed model with theory-based ones, and test-retest reliability analysis. Results Conducted analysis revealed that in the examined population, the CSAS should rather consist of four than two subscales. Proposed four subscales addressed perceived outcomes of communication learning, positive and negative attitudes towards it (affective components), and factors motivating students to learn communication (a cognitive component of attitudes). Results of test-retest reliability were satisfactory for individual items and subscales. Conclusions This study presented a valid and reliable version of the Communication Skills Attitude Scale for Polish medical students and confirmed previous assumptions that CSAS may also be appropriate for assessment of affective and cognitive components of attitudes. Future research should, based on Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior, make attempts to develop a tool assessing not only attitudes but also subjective norms and perceived behavioral control.

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-25
Author(s):  
Maryam Akbarilakeh ◽  
Fahimeh Fargah ◽  
Katatyoun Razjouyan ◽  
Mitra Rahimzadeh

Background: The ability of communicating with people is of great importance for physicians. Predicting unknown variables like personality traits is one of the important impressive issues in choosing future medical experts in medical training. Regarding this, medical colleges have training programs all around the world. The present study aimed to investigate the attitude toward learning communication skills based on the personality traits of medical students. Materials and Methods: This correlational study was done in 2019 and the participants were medical students who were selected using a convenience sampling method. Zuckerman-Kuhlman personality questionnaire and communication skills attitude scale (CSAS) were used for data collection. CSAS was used to assess positive and negative attitudes. Results: The results showed that only the sociability dimension among the five dimensions of personality had a significant relationship with attitude toward learning communication skills (P=0.018). Moreover, significant relationships of gender (P=0.022), mother’s education level (P=0.049), and residence (P=0.036) with attitude to learning communication skills were found. Conclusion: According to the results, the dimension of demographic characteristics is effective in improving communication skills of medical students. Therefore, it is recommended that it should be considered in medical curriculum development and revision and modifications.


BMJ Open ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. e020931 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yang Zhang ◽  
Gurong Jiang ◽  
Yihan Sun ◽  
Xia Zhao ◽  
Xiaosong Yu

ObjectivesThe aims of this study were to develop the Chinese version of the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS-Ch) in order to test the psychometric properties of the modified instrument.DesignA cross-sectional study was conducted in September 2016 to evaluate the attitudes of Chinese medical students towards communication skills learning using CSAS at China Medical University.ParticipantsThe study recruited 510 fifth-year medical students by cluster sampling.MethodsCronbach’s α coefficients were calculated for the entire questionnaire and for the subscales to evaluate the internal consistency of the CSAS-Ch. In order to determine the structure underlying the CSAS, the scale was factor analysed using maximum likelihood extraction and the oblique rotation method.ResultsOf the 510 medical students, 492 (96.5%) completed the questionnaire. Cronbach’s α coefficient for the CSAS scale was 0.897. Exploratory factor analysis showed that the four-factor structure accounted for 59.8% of the variance and produced an acceptable fit to the data.ConclusionsThe modified CSAS-Ch can be used to evaluate attitudes towards communication skills. Further Future research for improving the teaching methods for communication skills should explore the relationship between medical students’ attitudes and the demographic characteristics.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-104
Author(s):  
Suneel Piryani ◽  
Rano Mal Piryani ◽  
Gopendra Prasad Deo

Introduction: Medical students’ attitude towards communication skills is crucial for curriculum planners, teachers and health professionals. Chitwan Medical College (CMC) is a private medical school admitting students mainly from the Nepal. Objective: To assess the attitudes of medical students towards learning communication skills. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among third and fifth year medical (MBBS) undergraduates at Chitwan Medical College (CMC), Nepal in April 2018 using the 26-itemCommunication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) developed by Rees, Sheard, and Davies. Participants ‘age, sex, year of study, nationality, religion, relationship status, the occupation of father and mother, place of residence of a family, were noted. The CSAS scores were computed. Student’s t-test and ANOVA test were used to compare the scores among subgroups of participants. Results: The mean positive attitudes scale (PAS), negative attitudes scale (NAS) and overall CSAS scores were 51.77  5.21, 35.68  4.43, and 83.97  5.77 respectively. PAS score was statistically significantly higher among the respondents whose mothers were not in the health-related profession. Whereas NAS score was statistically significantly lower among females, self-rated outstanding students, and good self-reported written communication skills. Conclusion: Medical undergraduates had strong positive attitudes towards learning communication skills, but negative attitudes were also noted. Hence, faculty members need to change these attitudes through improving teaching and assessment strategies.


2014 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 89-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marija Petek Šter ◽  
Branko Šter ◽  
Davorina Petek ◽  
Eva Cedilnik Gorup

Abstract Objective: Empathy is the most frequently mentioned humanistic dimension of patient care and is considered to be an important quality in physicians. The importance of fostering the development of empathy in undergraduate students is continuously emphasised in international recommendations for medical education. Our aim was to validate and adapt the Slovenian version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy- Students version (JSE-S) on a sample of first-year medical students. Methods: First-year students of the Medical faculty in Ljubljana participated in the research. JSE-S version, a selfadministered 20-item questionnaire, was used for collecting the data. Descriptive statistics at the item level and at the scale level, factor analysis, internal consistency and test-retest reliability (two weeks after the first administration) of the JSE-S were performed. Results: 234 out of 298 (response rate 78.5%) students completed JSE-S. The mean score for the items on the 7-point Likert scale ranged from 3.27 (SD 1.72) to 6.50 (SD 0.82). The mean score for the scale (possible range from 20 to 140) was 107.6 (from 71 to 131, SD 12.6). Using factor analysis, we identified six factors, describing 57.2% of total variability. The Cronbach alpha as a measure of internal consistency was 0.79. The instrument has good temporal stability (test-retest reliability ICC = 0.703). Conclusion: Findings support the construct validity and reliability of JSE-S for measuring empathy in medical students in Slovenia. Future research is required to evaluate factors contributing to empathy.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liyuan Cui ◽  
Yaxin Zhu ◽  
Jinglou Qu ◽  
Liming Tie ◽  
Ziqi Wang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Critical thinking disposition helps medical students and professionals overcome the effects of personal values and beliefs when exercising clinical judgment. The lack of effective instruments to measure critical thinking disposition in medical students has become an obstacle for training and evaluating students in undergraduate programs in China. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the CTDA test. Methods A total of 278 students participated in this study and responded to the CTDA test. Cronbach’s α coefficient, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, floor effects and ceiling effects were measured to assess the reliability of the questionnaire. Construct validity of the pre-specified three-domain structure of the CTDA was evaluated by explanatory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The convergent validity and discriminant validity were also analyzed. Results Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the entire questionnaire was calculated to be 0.92, all of the domains showed acceptable internal consistency (0.81–0.86), and the test-retest reliability indicated acceptable intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) (0.93, p < 0.01). The EFA and the CFA demonstrated that the three-domain model fitted the data adequately. The test showed satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity. Conclusions The CTDA is a reliable and valid questionnaire to evaluate the disposition of medical students towards critical thinking in China and can reasonably be applied in critical thinking programs and medical education research.


2021 ◽  
pp. 109442812110115
Author(s):  
Ze Zhu ◽  
Alan J. Tomassetti ◽  
Reeshad S. Dalal ◽  
Shannon W. Schrader ◽  
Kevin Loo ◽  
...  

Policy capturing is a widely used technique, but the temporal stability of policy-capturing judgments has long been a cause for concern. This article emphasizes the importance of reporting reliability, and in particular test-retest reliability, estimates in policy-capturing studies. We found that only 164 of 955 policy-capturing studies (i.e., 17.17%) reported a test-retest reliability estimate. We then conducted a reliability generalization meta-analysis on policy-capturing studies that did report test-retest reliability estimates—and we obtained an average reliability estimate of .78. We additionally examined 16 potential methodological and substantive antecedents to test-retest reliability (equivalent to moderators in validity generalization studies). We found that test-retest reliability was robust to variation in 14 of the 16 factors examined but that reliability was higher in paper-and-pencil studies than in web-based studies and was higher for behavioral intention judgments than for other (e.g., attitudinal and perceptual) judgments. We provide an agenda for future research. Finally, we provide several best-practice recommendations for researchers (and journal reviewers) with regard to (a) reporting test-retest reliability, (b) designing policy-capturing studies for appropriate reportage, and (c) properly interpreting test-retest reliability in policy-capturing studies.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadia Younes ◽  
Anne Laure Delaunay ◽  
M. Roger ◽  
Pierre Serra ◽  
France Hirot ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Training in psychiatry requires specific knowledge, attitudes, and skills that are obtainable by simulation, of which the use is only recent and still needs further development. Evidence is accumulating on its effectiveness but requires further validation for medical students. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a single-day optional teaching program in psychiatry by simulation for medical students and validate a scale measuring Confidence in Psychiatric Clinical Skills (CPCQ), as part of the assessment. Methods This was a controlled study in a French University that compared (using paired-sample Student t-tests) knowledge and attitudes (university grades and CPCQ scores) before, just after teaching with simulated patients, and 2 months later. Satisfaction with the program (including the quality of the debriefing) was also investigated. The CPCQ scale was validated by assessing the factor structure, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. Finally, a comparison was run with a control group who received the usual psychiatric instruction using covariance analyses. Results Twenty-four medical students were included in the simulation group and 76 in the control group. Just after the simulation, knowledge and attitudes increased significantly in the simulation group. Satisfaction with the training and debriefing was very high. The CPCQ scale showed good psychometric properties: a single-factor structure, acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.73 [0.65–0.85]), and good test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.71 [0.35–0.88]). Two months after the simulation, knowledge and attitudes were significantly higher in the simulation group than the control group, despite a lack of difference in knowledge before the simulation. Conclusions Adding a simulation program in psychiatry to the usual teaching improved the knowledge and confidence of medical students. The CPCQ scale could be used for the evaluation of educational programs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-59
Author(s):  
Asep Sumaryo ◽  
Purnama Putra

Indonesia is a country with the largest Muslim population in the world of its 240 million people,88.2% are Muslims. Islamic banks exist because of the public's need for alternative transactions thatare interest-free. However, the growth of Islamic banks in Indonesia is still not optimal, one of thefactors is that people are still not enthusiastic about Islamic banks and the lack of intention of thepeople to become customers of Islamic banks. There are several factors that affect the intention interms of planned behavior theory, namely attitudes, subjective norms and perceptions of behaviorcontrol. So the research aims to determine the effect of attitudes, subjective norms and perceptionsof behavioral control on the intention of the people of Bekasi city to become customers in Islamicbanks. The research method uses multiple linear regression analysis. The data used are the results ofquestionnaires distributed to 12 districts in the city of Bekasi. The sample consisted of 132 people inBekasi city who were taken by using purposive sampling technique. Data were tested partially andsimultaneously. The data is processed using SPSS (Statistical Product and Service Solution) version22. The results of this study show partially that attitude variables have a positive and significant effect,subjective norm variables have a positive and significant effect, behavioral control perceptions have apositive but insignificant effect on intention to become a customer. Islamic Bank. Meanwhile, attitudes,subjective norms and perceived behavioral control simultaneously have a significant positive effect onthe intention to become a customer of Islamic banks. Future research is expected to expand the scopeof research, add variables and other factors and extend the research period.


2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 57-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melinda L. Korzaan ◽  
Nita G. Brooks

Proper management of information technology (IT) projects remains important within organizations; they require tremendous investment and consume valuable resources. To enhance one's understanding of IT projects and the continued issue of project failure, this study develops a model of the psychological influences of IT project commitment for individuals working on IT projects and its influence on intentions to continue an IT project (ICITP). Survey responses from 232 individuals across several organizations were obtained, and structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. Three forms of project commitment (affective, continuance, and normative), subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control – internal were significant predictors of ICITP, explaining 64% of the variance. Additionally, continuance commitment and perceived behavioral control – internal were found to explain 46% of the variance in affective commitment. Implications and directions for future research are provided.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdrabo Soliman ◽  
Abdel-Salam G. Abdel-Salam ◽  
Mervat Ahmed

Background: The Bene-Anthony Family Relations Test (BAFRT) is one of the most widely used measures of family dynamics seen from a child’s perspective. However, the most common issue surrounding this test is the lack of accurate normative scores for use with non-white ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to examine the BAFRT’s reliability and validity for use with Arab children, as well as to provide normative data for this group. Methods: The BAFRT was translated into Arabic and back-translated to ensure accuracy. The test was administered to a cohort of 394 Arab children, consisting of both cognitively normal children (n = 269) and children diagnosed with a psychological disorder (n = 125), all aged 5–8 years old. Test-retest reliability was assessed using a sub-set of children and validity was tested against clinical status as well as CBCL and SDQ measures. Normative measures were calculated after examining the impact of influencing variables such as age and gender. Results: Statistical analyses showed that in our cohort of Arab children the BAFRT has good test-retest reliability, correlates well with measures of emotional and behavioral adjustment, and discriminates accurately between clinical and non-clinical children. Age, gender, and clinical status all significantly impacted upon BAFRT scores and therefore normative values are presented from our cohort when considering these variables. Conclusion: The normative scores we present will provide researchers and clinicians an appropriate reference point for the comparison of scores from Arab children and a starting point for future research into this area.


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