Abstract
BackgroundIntelligence theory research has illustrated that people hold either “fixed” (intelligence is immutable) or “growth” (intelligence can be improved) mindsets and that these views may affect how people learn throughout their lifetime. Little is known about the mindsets of physicians, and how mindset may affect their lifetime learning and integration of feedback. Our objective was to determine if pediatric physicians are of the "fixed" or "growth" mindset and whether individual mindset affects perception of medical error reporting. MethodsWe sent an anonymous electronic survey to pediatric residents and attending pediatricians at a tertiary care pediatric hospital. Respondents completed the “Theories of Intelligence Inventory” which classifies individuals on a 6-point scale ranging from 1 (Fixed Mindset) to 6 (Growth Mindset). Subsequent questions collected data on respondents’ recall of medical errors by self or others.ResultsWe received 176/349 responses (50 %). Participants were equally distributed between mindsets with 84 (49 %) classified as “fixed” and 86 (51 %) as “growth”. Residents, fellows and attendings did not differ in terms of mindset. Mindset did not correlate with the small number of reported medical errors.ConclusionsThere is no dominant theory of intelligence (mindset) amongst pediatric physicians. The distribution is similar to that seen in the general population. Mindset did not correlate with error reports.
Highlights
Intelligence theory research has illustrated that people hold either “fixed” or “growth” mindsets and that these views may affect how people learn throughout their lifetime
Theory of intelligence score was calculated for 176 respondents and frequency of responses for the four intelligence theory items was further subdivided by resident, fellow and attending
Medical error reporting Overall, 41.9 % of 170 participants listed at least 1 selfreported medical error in the previous 6 months (58.1 % with 0 errors, 21.5 % with 1 error, 11.3 % with 2 errors and 9.1 % with 3 or more errors)
Summary
Intelligence theory research has illustrated that people hold either “fixed” (intelligence is immutable) or “growth” (intelligence can be improved) mindsets and that these views may affect how people learn throughout their lifetime. Little is known about the mindsets of physicians, and how mindset may affect their lifetime learning and integration of feedback. People have long debated whether human qualities, such as intelligence, can be altered or if they are largely fixed from the moment of birth and difficult to change. The “fixed” mindset upholds the belief that one’s human qualities are unalterable despite efforts to change them. Dweck argues that the “fixed” mindset creates an urgency to prove oneself and that any failure encountered may be perceived as a direct measure of People of the “growth” mindset in theories of intelligence are somewhat different.
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