Multifaceted Assessment of Biopsychosocial Skills

Abstract

The psychiatrist who teaches behavioral science to future physicians intends not only to convey a body of factual information but also to teach an appreciation for the interrelatedness of biological, psychological, and environmental factors and their effect on the care of an individual patient. The authors examined two areas of student performance relevant to application of psychiatric principles: information gathering skills and observational skills. A multiple choice (MCI) written examination was administered to 90 first-year medical students at the end of a one semester behavioral science course, and a videotaped (VI) interview instrument was administered both before and after the course. Case history questions in MCI format were also included. The results indicate that the two instruments measure different clusters of student performance, with, however, a strong relationship existing between performance on the case history items on MCI and the hypothesis-developing section of the VI. Pre-post VI comparisons revealed a significant improvement in attention to the content of verbal productions as a result of the course.