The Relationship between Gross Anatomy Performance and the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) Among Physician Assistant Students

Abstract

BackgroundSelf‐regulated learning (SRL) is defined as the processes that one carries out to accomplish goals through self‐directed use of specific strategies. In essence, it involves how someone becomes the master of their own learning processes and comprises behaviors of skill, will, and self‐regulation. Evidence supports that high levels of SRL are correlated with better grades and higher academic achievement. Tools exist to measure SRL in higher education, with the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) being one such tool (Weinstein et al., 2016). It is a 60‐item inventory that measures 10 subscales including motivation, anxiety, test strategies, time management, and selecting main ideas.ObjectiveThis study aims to address whether there is a correlation between LASSI subscales and gross anatomy performance in a sample of physician assistant (PA) students. While growing numbers of medical and dental programs utilize the LASSI to examine SRL, its use in allied health student populations has not been explored extensively. I hypothesized that there is a positive relationship with anatomy performance and LASSI scales such as motivation, test taking skills, and use of academic resources and a negative relationship with anxiety.MethodsFirst year students enrolled in a physician assistant program were invited to participate in the study during the second semester of their first year, following the completion of a four‐credit gross anatomy course and other basic science coursework taken during the first semester of the first year. The timing of LASSI administration was chosen as it was thought to more accurately reflect their SRL as a PA student, as opposed to administration upon program entry when it would measure their SRL prior to graduate school. It was a programmatic requirement to complete the LASSI, however participation and use of educational records in the study was voluntary, with written consent given. Spearman correlation was used to evaluate the association between the LASSI subscales and the average grade of four sets of exams (written and practical), as well as final grade. Analyses were performed using SPSS Version 27 and significance level was set at p<0.05.ResultsA total of 49 students completed the LASSI and 5 students opted out of the study, rendering an 89.8% response rate (n=44). Two LASSI subscales had significant positive correlations with anatomy performance 1) test strategies: exam 1 (r=.618, p<0.01), exam 2 (r=.451, p<0.01), exam 3 (r=.343, p<0.05), exam 4 (r=.325, p<0.01), and final anatomy grade (r=.502, p<0.01) and 2) selecting main ideas: exam 1 (r=.374, p<0.05).Conclusion and ImplicationsThe hypothesis that anatomy performance would be negatively correlated with anxiety and positively correlated with test strategies and other LASSI subscales was partially supported. This preliminary study reveals that only two LASSI subscales had significant positive correlations with anatomy performance: test strategies and selecting main ideas. Anxiety did not have a significant correlation with anatomy performance. It is unsurprising that a relationship exists between test‐taking strategies and anatomy grades, and the strength of this relationship decreased as students progressed through the semester. This research suggests that explicit instruction of test taking skills, SRL, and metacognitive awareness early in the curriculum may improve anatomy performance.