Big Five Personality Research Articles

An Exploratory Study to Test the Psychometric Properties of Character Strengths-Semantic Differential Scale (CS-SDS) Among Singaporean Adults

Character strengths encompass a set of positive traits that can be manifested through thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. To measure the 24 character strengths, the Character Strengths-Semantic Differential Scale (CS-SDS) was used. The aim of the study was to (a) test the factor structure of CS-CDS and (b) test the convergent validity of CS-CDS with life satisfaction and positive affect, and the divergent validity of CS-SDS with negative affect. In total, 283 Singaporean students (96 males, 35.3%), with a median age of 24–26 years old (42.9%), participated in this study. Exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) showed the multi-dimensional nature of CS-SDS. Specifically, EFA demonstrated a four-factor model, while CFA identified a five-factor model, showing the dimensions of interpersonal, emotional, restraint, theological, and intellectual. All factors were significantly related to life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. It was concluded that CS-SDS is a psychometrically sound instrument for measuring character strengths in the Asian context. This tool can be used for designing strength-based interventions aimed at promoting well-being and character among students in higher education.

A Novel and Comprehensive Wellness Assessment for Lifestyle-Based Interventions.

While weight status and clinical laboratory measures are important in assessing obesity-related disease severity and chronic disease risk, including a broader range of emotional, psychosocial, and behavioral factors would provide greater context of an individual's overall state of wellness and could be used to better guide treatment decisions. The purpose of this research was to develop a comprehensive Lifestyle Wellness assessment for use in lifestyle-based wellness interventions and programs. A cross-sectional exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted using baseline data from N=138 adults participating in behavioral weight loss trials. An unweighted least squares extraction method with oblique rotation was used. Twenty-one putative measures spanning constructs related to metabolic health, emotional health/wellbeing, body weight and composition, diet quality, and fitness were analyzed for retention. Mean body mass index (BMI) was 38.0±6.6kg/m2, mean age was 57.3±11.1years, and 77.5% of participants were female. The EFA produced a five-factor model with 13 items that explained 80.3% of the variance. The retained factors included: (1) Psychosocial State: mindfulness, resilience, quality of life, and happiness; (2) Blood Pressure State: systolic and diastolic blood pressure; (3) Lipid State: total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol; (4) Fitness State: grip strength, jump height, and percent body fat; and (5) Body State: BMI and waist circumference. Lifestyle Wellness is a comprehensive assessment that enables innovative wellness-related research such as metabolically healthy obese phenotypes and weight-neutral interventions. Future research should include investigations in additional populations with greater age, sex/gender, and body size diversity.

Evaluation of measurement properties of the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite (IWQOL-Lite) instrument among Chinese overweight and obese populations

PurposeTo evaluate measurement properties of the Impact of Weight on Quality of Life-Lite (IWQOL-Lite) instrument among Chinese overweight and obese populations.MethodsA representative sample of Chinese overweight and obese populations was recruited stratified by age, sex, residence and body mass index (BMI). Social-demographic characteristics, self-reported EQ-5D-5 L and IWQOL-Lite responses were collected through the online survey. Test-retest reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) among a subgroup of the total sample. Structural validity was evaluated by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Convergent validity and known-group validity were examined using Spearman’s rank correlation and effect sizes, respectively.ResultsA total of 1000 respondents (48% female; mean age: 51.7 years; mean BMI: 27.4) were included in this study. Ceiling and floor effects of the IWQOL-Lite were 5.4% and 0.67%, respectively. The ICC between the two tests was 0.992 for IWQOL-Lite among the subgroup (N = 150). The results of the CFA suggested that the five-factor model had an acceptable structural validity (GFI = 0.894, CFI = 0.960, TLI = 0.957, RMSEA = 0.054 and SRMR = 0.033). The Spearman’s rank correlation (range: 0.413–0.611) indicated a satisfactory convergent validity. The effect sizes values of IWQOL-Lite total score and different dimensions were moderate.ConclusionsThe IWQOL-Lite has been demonstrated to have satisfactory validity and reliability in measuring the HRQoL of Chinese overweight and obese populations. Further research is needed to confirm the sensitivity and responsiveness.

How do personality traits affect the formation of friendship and preference-for-collaboration networks?

Intuitively, personality traits may shape friendships differently from academic connections, potentially influencing social support development. Yet, this remains understudied, while it is crucial for student’s wellbeing. Therefore, this study investigates how the personality traits of the Five-Factor Model interact with the role friendships and preferred collaboration relationships. In a sample of 95 university students, socio-centric data were collected with questionnaires on personality traits and longitudinally on networks of friendship and preferences for collaboration networks. Utilizing stochastic actor-oriented models in RSiena, we showed that students more open to new experiences established more friendships, preferred more collaborations with their peers, and were also more popular in both networks than students less open-to-new-experiences. Students scoring higher on agreeableness were less likely to connect to their peers in both networks, whereas higher-achieving students were more likely to establish peer relationships in both networks. Furthermore, friends were preferred for collaboration (and vice versa), indicating an overlap. This study points to the importance of personality traits and achievement when students integrate into their social and academic environment.

Suicidal ideation and thoughts of self-harm during the COVID-19 pandemic among Swedish employees: a cohort study on the role of job instability and job insecurity

BackgroundSuicidal ideation may be a warning sign for suicide and previous work has indicated a higher prevalence of suicidal ideation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Job loss and job insecurity are potential risk factors for suicidal ideation, but their importance during the pandemic, and the role of organizational changes for suicidal ideation, is unclear. This study examined the association between various experiences associated with job loss and job insecurity during the pandemic and thoughts of suicide/self-harm in Sweden.MethodsThe study sample was drawn from the Swedish Longitudinal Occupational Survey of Health (SLOSH). Auxiliary data collections in February 2021 and 2022 assessed exposure to job loss/unemployment, furlough, workplace downsizing, or increased job insecurity versus stable employment and thoughts of suicide or self-harm (PHQ-9) during the pandemic. The analyses were based on 1558 individuals (2 349 observations) participating in either or both waves and who had been working before the pandemic. Logistic regression models with cluster-robust standard errors were fitted, including sociodemographic factors and prior mental health problems to control for potential confounding. Measures of personality based on a brief version of the Big-Five personality inventory were also added.ResultsThe results indicated an association between all experiences, except furlough, and thoughts of suicide/self-harm, when adjusting for sex, age, civil status, socioeconomic status and prior mental health (job loss odds ratio (OR) = 3.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.79–7.63, downsizing OR = 2.41, CI 1.24–4.70, job insecurity OR = 2.77, CI 1.15–6.67). The associations for job loss and insecurity were attenuated by adjustment for personality, although it remained statistically significant for downsizing.ConclusionsThe results suggested a higher risk of suicidal ideation connected with loss of employment and survival of a downsizing, but not a forced reduction in working times/pay during the COVID-19 pandemic. The association for subjective job insecurity was less robust and may be partly explained by personality.

Mediation effects of subjective social status and personality traits between childhood nurturing experiences and depressive symptoms in adult volunteers.

Various risk factors, such as childhood nurturing experiences and subjective social status, have been identified to be involved in the onset of depression. However, the mechanism of depression is not yet fully understood. In this study, we hypothesized that nurturing experienced in childhood affects subjective social status and current personality traits, which in turn influence depressive symptoms in adulthood, and verified this hypothesis through structural equation modeling. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 404 adults. Multiple regression analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted using demographic information and scores for the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Parental Bonding Instrument, and NEO Five-Factor Inventory. Subjective social status was found to mediate the association between nurturing experiences and neuroticism (0.029 for Overprotection and -0.034 for Care). On the other hand, neuroticism was found to mediate the association between subjective social status and depressive symptoms (-0.097 in Care model and -0.103 in Overprotection model), as well as the association between nurturing experiences and depressive symptoms (0.144 for Overprotection and -0.134 for Care). Furthermore, it was also shown that complex paths, in which the association of nurturing experiences with depressive symptoms was mediated by two factors, namely, subjective social status and neuroticism, were statistically significant as indirect effects (0.016 for Overprotection and -0.018 for Care). In this study, we clarified that nurturing experienced in childhood affects neuroticism in adulthood, which is mediated by subjective social status, and furthermore, the effects of nurturing on neuroticism lead to varying levels of depressive symptoms in adulthood. The mediation effects demonstrated in the present study may contribute towards unraveling the causes of depression and developing effective treatments for depressive symptoms.

A transdiagnostic approach of negative symptoms in psychiatric disorders: replication of a two-factor structure in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.

Recent empirical findings suggest that negative symptoms are not limited to schizophrenia (SCZ) but also present in major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD) patients. Although SCZ patients generally showed a latent structure comprising the motivation and pleasure (MAP) and expression (EXP) factors, it remains unclear whether the same latent structure exists in MDD and BD patients. We administered the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS) and the Brief Negative Symptom Scale (BNSS) to 179 MDD patients and 152 BD patients. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to examine the one-factor model, the two-factor model of the MAP and the EXP domain, the five-factor model of anhedonia, avolition, asociality, alogia, and blunted affect, and the hierarchical model comprising the first-order five-factor, and the second-order two-factor (MAP and EXP factors). We further examined the correlations between demographics and the negative symptom dimensions found in the best factor model. The CFA showed that, when the CAINS and the BNSS were combined together, the two-factor model of MAP and EXP provided the best model fit than other competing models, in the MDD alone sample, BD alone sample, and the combined clinical sample. The two-factor model of the MAP and EXP appears to be a stable, transdiagnostic latent structure of negative symptoms across BD and MDD. Clarifying negative symptoms in MDD and BD can facilitate future research on the underlying neural mechanisms of the MAP and EXP dimensions.

Risk Factor Analysis and Predictive Model Development for Problematic Internet Gaming Disorder Occurrence

<div> <p><strong>Aim </strong>To examine several aspects, such as sociodemographic, psychological, personality, and parenting characteristics, that may contribute to the occurrence of PIGD in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Additionally, the study intends to create a model that can accurately predict people who are at high risk of developing PIGD.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></p> </div> <div> <p><strong>Methods. </strong>A cross-sectional study was conducted on 350 participants aged 15-25 years in Yogyakarta. The data was gathered through the use of a questionnaire that consisted of demographic measures: the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale—Short Form (IGDS9-SF), the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), the Big Five Inventory (BFI), and the Parenting Style Questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression was utilized for data analysis in order to identify relevant risk factors and construct a risk prediction model.</p> </div> <div> <p><span class="apple-converted-space"><strong>Results. </strong></span>The study revealed that certain sociodemographic characteristics (male and student), psychological factors (depression, anxiety, and stress), personality traits (high neuroticism, low conscientiousness), and authoritarian parenting style were all significant predictors of the occurrence of PIGD. These characteristics led to the creation of the risk prediction model, which demonstrated strong performance with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.85 (95% CI 0.80-0.90).</p> </div> <div> <p><strong>Conclusion. </strong>Multifaceted issue and variety of risk factors influence PIGD. This study's risk prediction model can effectively identify individuals at a heightened risk of developing PIGD. This allows for early and targeted preventative and treatment interventions to be implemented.</p> </div>

Association between Sleep Quality and Personality Based on the Big Five Factor Model in a Non-clinical Sample

Introduction. Sleep is essential for maintaining health, well-being, and functionality. The personality traits of the Five Factor Model (FFM) have proven promising as determinants of sleep quality. Objective. To explore the relationship between personality traits and sleep quality in a Brazilian sample by testing a predictive model based on multiple linear regression. Method. The study involved 447 adult participants (with an average age of 37.7 years), who completed an online survey including the following instruments: a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-BR), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4), and the Big Five Inventory (BFI). Participants were selected through social media advertisements calling for volunteers for a study on sleep quality. Results. The regression model revealed that age, educational attainment, family income, BMI, neuroticism, and psychopathological symptoms were predictors of sleep quality. The gender, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness variables were not predictors of sleep quality in the multivariate analysis. Discussion and conclusion. The study emphasizes the role of neuroticism in predicting sleep quality over other personality traits. Additionally, the results suggest that the risk of or protection against the development of anxiety and depressive symptoms is a key mechanism linking personality traits to sleep. These findings can therefore contribute to identifying individuals at risk for sleep disturbances and developing health intervention strategies.

Assessment of parental self-efficacy in managing child food-induced anaphylaxis and using adrenaline autoinjectors.

Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction, associated with mental health burden in patients and caregivers. Intramuscular adrenaline via autoinjector (AAI) is the recommended treatment for the management of anaphylaxis in non-hospital settings; however, AAIs are underused. This study aimed to assess parental self-efficacy in managing child's anaphylaxis and administering AAI to understand how to effectively support families. Seventy-five parents of children with severe food allergy completed a questionnaire to measure parental self-efficacy in managing child food-induced anaphylaxis (PSEMA). We conducted an exploratory factor analysis with 12 items, using principal axis factoring as the extraction method. We used Cronbach's alpha to assess the internal consistency of the factors. We used the Anderson-Rubin approach to estimate the factors' scores and provide a kernel density estimate of their distributions. An assessment through linear regression between the total factors' score and total score was performed. A five-factor model was identified. The factors that emerged were conceptually related to "F1. Manage Injection," "F2. Manage AAI Device," "F3. Manage Anaphylaxis," "F4. Manage Emergency," and "F5. Manage Emotions." The questionnaire demonstrated high internal consistency, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.91 (95% CI: 0.87-0.94) The variation in the total score explained 90% of the variation in the factor score. The PSEMA questionnaire promises to be an easy and effective tool for measuring parents' self-efficacy in managing anaphylaxis and AAI, allowing clinicians to identify gaps in education and provide effective training.

Personality traits and levels of anxiety and depression among martial artists: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundIn recent years, fighting arts (e.g., Karate, Judo, Jujitsu, Boxe) have gained broader attention due to their multiple benefits, involving both physical and psychological enhancements for practitioners. Despite that, studies revolving around specific psychological characteristics such as personality traits are scarce. This study explored potential connections between the personality traits of practitioners and the specific fighting art they engage in, and investigated levels of anxiety and depression in fighting artists.MethodsA web-based cross-sectional survey instrument was developed and disseminated across the entire Italian territory. Participants were eligible if adults (> 18 years old) engaged in any fighting arts for a minimum of one year, with no additional restrictions. The survey employed the Big Five Inventory (BFI) with 44 questions to explore personality traits using the OCEAN model, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to explore anxiety and depression levels.ResultsA total of 770 questionnaires were collected from July to September 2023. Participants were mainly men (M = 571, 74.5%; F = 199, 25.8%; mean age 45.2 ± 14.8), and most of the participants practised in the North of Italy (N = 493, 64.0%). The mean age of practice was 28.5 ± 14.9 years and the most practised fighting arts were Judo (N = 349, 45.3%), Karate (N = 272, 35.3%) and Jujitsu (N = 42, 5.5%). Personality traits were identified as openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, neuroticism and the results were as follows: O) 40.1 ± 6.30; C) 37.1 ± 5.78; E) 28.2 ± 5.64; A) 35.1 ± 5.08; N) 19,8 ± 5,51. Anxiety and depression scored respectively 5.93 ± 3.14 and 3.67 ± 2.74.ConclusionsFighting artists exhibit elevated levels of positive personality traits, such as openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness. Conversely, neuroticism tends to be lower among them. Moreover, anxiety and depression levels among fighting artists are lower than the Italian normative values. Fighting arts, particularly Karate and Judo, emerge as promising avenues for adults seeking innovative or complementary strategies to foster positive personality traits (e.g., openness, conscientiousness) while mitigating anxiety and depression. Future studies could explore other personality traits, including Machiavellianism, and explore additional psychological characteristics such as aggressiveness to provide a more comprehensive understanding.

Personality Traits, Self-Esteem and Social Ostracism Among Valorant Players

Individuals born in and after 1995 spend most of their time playing video games. The majority of video games have violent content. This study aims to examine the effects of personality traits and self-esteem on social ostracism among Valorant players. In this context, 83 Valorant video game players, 55 male (66.3%) and 28 female (33.7%), were reached online. The mean age of the participants was 21.49 and the age-related standard deviation was 2.03 (age range 18-27). Faceted Inventory of the Five-Factor Model, Self-Esteem Scale, Social Ostracism Scale, and demographic information form were used. Data was analyzed by quantitative analysis techniques, namely correlation and simple linear regression. Findings show a positive relationship between social ostracism and neuroticism; and a negative relationship between social ostracism, agreeableness, and self-esteem. Neuroticism (envy) and self-esteem significantly predicted the variance (41%) in social ostracism. Findings were examined in light of the relevant literature, and some recommendations were made.

An investigation into how preservice EFL teachers perceive their mentors' pedagogical knowledge

This study aimed to explore pre-service EFL teachers’ perceptions and expectations of their mentors’ pedagogical knowledge in light of the five-factor mentoring model. Data was collected in two phases during pre-service teacher field studies. The participants were 10 purposively selected pre-service EFL teachers and 5 cooperating teachers, and 107 pre-service teachers were purposively selected from one Teacher Education College. The five mentors also participated in a semi-structured interview. A questionnaire was administered to 107 pre-service teachers. The data gathered was analyzed based on descriptive statistics using SPSS version 16. The finding revealed that effective mentoring practices arm mentees with pedagogical knowledge that enhances their professional expertise. Besides, mentors who demonstrate well-organized pedagogical knowledge give mentees access to a lot of benefits. Nevertheless, some mentees felt uncertain regarding their mentor's pedagogical knowledge. This study proposed implications for pre-service EFL teachers mentoring programs and forwarded recommendations for improving the professional development of mentors' mentoring programs. Keywords: Mentors; pedagogical knowledge; perception; pre-service teachers

Personality traits & their relation to academic burnout and satisfaction with medicine as a career in Jordanian medical students

BackgroundThis research aims to investigate the relationship between the Big Five personality traits and their impact on academic burnout and satisfaction within the context of pursuing a medical career, particularly focusing on medical students in the University of Jordan. This investigation aims to enhance the overall well-being and success of medical students, ultimately enhancing the quality of medical services provided by future physicians.MethodologyThis is a cross-sectional study conducted in the University of Jordan between January-June of 2024. A self-administered online survey was filled by 436 medical students from the first to sixth academic year. Participants completed a questionnaire that assessed personality traits using the Big Five Inventory (BFI), academic burnout by Copenhagen burnout inventory-student version (CBI-S), as well as students’ satisfaction using one question with a scale from 1 to 5. For data analysis, R statistical software version 4.3.2 was used.ResultsIndividuals with high levels of neuroticism exhibited higher levels of burnout (β = 0.429, SE = 0.048, t = 8.849, p < 0.001) and lower satisfaction with medicine (β = − 0.515, SE = 0.068, t = − 7.616, p < 0.001), while other traits like conscientiousness, extraversion, openness, and agreeableness were associated with lower levels of burnout and higher satisfaction. Gender differences were significant, with females showing higher neuroticism levels and scoring differently across burnout domains.ConclusionThe study aims to illuminate how personality traits contribute to academic burnout development, suggesting that recognizing the influence of these traits and making adjustments could enhance students’ well-being and satisfaction, as well as mitigating burnout among them. Additionally, it may motivate educators to develop innovative educational strategies tailored to assist students who are particularly vulnerable to burnout.

A Correlational Study on Openness to Experience Trait, Attitude and SLA Proficiency of Chinese Undergraduate Students Based on Socio- educational Model: A Research Proposal

This study took a comprehensive approach to investigate the correlation between personality traits (openness to experience), attitudes towards second language acquisition (SLA), and SLA ability among Chinese undergraduate EFL students. The study utilized the Big-Five personality test, attitude questionnaire, and speaking interviews with 35 participants, ensuring a thorough exploration of the subject. Based on socio-educational model, the study found a strong correlation between

Rapid Effects of MDMA Administration on Self-Reported Personality Traits and Affect State: A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial in Healthy Adults

ABSTRACT 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) assisted therapy has been shown to be a safe and effective treatment for PTSD and emerging research suggests a change in personality traits may be a factor in treatment response. Most prior research on MDMA and personality has focused on cross-sectional comparisons of MDMA users and non-users; as such, well-controlled research assessing personality and affective states change following MDMA vs placebo administration is needed. In the current pre-registered study, we investigated the impact of MDMA administration on five-factor model (FFM) traits and affective states before and 48 h after drug administration in a randomized, placebo-controlled study of healthy adults (N = 34). Statistical significance was not observed for the four a priori hypotheses; however, medium effect sizes were found between MDMA administration and trait Openness and Positive Affect 48 h following drug administration, compared to placebo (d = .79 and .51, respectively). This study provides initial results to help guide future well-powered studies with large samples and longer follow-up timepoints to continue to investigate how MDMA impacts personality and emotional experience, which may inform optimization of MDMA treatment approaches.

The Internal Structure of the WISC-V in Chile: Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses of the 15 Subtests

The WISC-V is a widely used scale in clinical and educational settings in Chile. Given that its use guides critical decision-making for children and adolescents, it is essential to have evidence of its psychometric properties, including validity based on internal structure. This study analyzed the factor structure of the WISC-V through an exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory (CFA) approach considering the age range of 853 children and adolescents between 6 and 16 years. We obtained evidence favoring the four-factor structure in the EFA, which is a clearer organization in the 15–16 age group. In the confirmatory stage, the best four- and five-factor models showed factor loadings greater than 0.4, except for one subtest in the processing speed domain in the 6–8 age group. The internal consistency ranged from acceptable to good estimates for the best two models. The results support the use of hierarchical factor structures of four and five factors, which offer specific advantages and disadvantages discussed in the article. The implications of these findings in both the professional area of psychology and future research are discussed.

The effect of very preterm birth on the Five-Factor Model of personality traits: A meta-analysis of individual participant data

There is mixed evidence on personality differences among those born very preterm or with very low birth weight (VP/VLBW). This meta-analysis of individual participant data aimed to examine differences in personality traits between VP/VLBW ( n = 568) and term-born ( n = 1,060) adults, and the role of neonatal characteristics and neurosensory impairments in childhood, which have not been previously investigated. Six studies were identified from two research consortia and a systematic search of the literature (PubMed and Scopus); studies were eligible if they included VP/VLBW and term-born adults followed from birth and assessed personality using the Five-Factor Model. Risk of bias (Newcastle-Ottawa Scale) was generally not a concern apart from the use of self-reported measures and the rate of follow-up. Using a one-stage approach, VP/VLBW scored lower on extraversion and openness and higher on neuroticism and agreeableness than term-born participants after adjusting for sex and parental education. Within the VP/VLBW group, those with bronchopulmonary dysplasia scored lower on extraversion and higher on neuroticism, with similar findings after removing participants with neurosensory impairments. Altogether, these findings suggest that a proportion of the effect of VP/VLBW birth on personality may be attributed to neonatal morbidities and altered brain development, although other confounding factors require further research.

Validating measurement of social norms for entertainment-education: a five-factor model.

Though the measurement of social norms is important for evaluating entertainment-education interventions, there is a dearth of validity evidence for measuring tools to assess different social norm constructs. Identical survey items were used to assess family planning norms among married Zambian women in 2019 and 2022 following an entertainment-education radio program intervention. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used for confirmation of the internal structure of several subscales used to measure social norms found in a previous study. There were no statistically significant demographic differences between participant groups at T1 and T2. CFA supported a five-factor model at T2 comprising descriptive norms (4 items), outcome expectations (3 items), and 3 different constructs capturing injunctive norms (3 items each). Results indicate good structural validity evidence for measuring social norms in entertainment-education using existing tools.

Bringing team science to the ambulatory diagnostic process: how do patients and clinicians develop shared mental models?

The ambulatory diagnostic process is potentially complex, resulting in faulty communication, lost information, and a lack of team coordination. Patients and families have a unique position in the ambulatory diagnostic team, holding privileged information about their clinical conditions and serving as the connecting thread across multiple healthcare encounters. While experts advocate for engaging patients as diagnostic team members, operationalizing patient engagement has been challenging. The team science literature links improved team performance with shared mental models, a concept reflecting the team's commonly held knowledge about the tasks to be done and the expertise of each team member. Despite their proven potential to improve team performance and outcomes in other settings, shared mental models remain underexplored in healthcare. In this manuscript, we review the literature on shared mental models, applying that knowledge to the ambulatory diagnostic process. We consider the role of patients in the diagnostic team and adapt the five-factor model of shared mental models to develop a framework for patient-clinician diagnostic shared mental models. We conclude with research priorities. Development, maintenance, and use of shared mental models of the diagnostic process amongst patients, families, and clinicians may increase patient/family engagement, improve diagnostic team performance, and promote diagnostic safety.