FAILURE OF FEEDBACK TO ENHANCE SELF-ASSESSMENT SKILLS OF GENERAL-PRACTITIONERS

Background: Self-directed learning requires accurate self-assessment, but research evidence shows poor validity of self-assessment. Training in self-assessment may improve validity. Purpose: To investigate if r epeated personal feedback based on objective knowledge and skill score s enhances self-assessment skills of practicing general practitioners. Method: Participants were general practitioners (n = 60), who receive d skills training covering 4 clinical skills at 3 months (Group A) or 6 months (Group B) after enrollment in the study. Participants were te sted at 3-month intervals with a knowledge test (60 items), a performa nce-based test (4 stations), and a self-assessment questionnaire (22 i tems), covering the four different clinical skills. They received pers onal feedback on the results. Results: At 3 months, mean scores on the self-assessment questionnaire and knowledge test had increased signif icantly more in Group A compared to Group B, but at 6 months no differ ences in mean scores remained. Correlations between self-assessment ra ting and objective scores were low to moderate, with little overall im provement over time. Conclusions: Although self-assessment scores can to some extent be useful in measuring perceived changes in competence in groups, individual self-assessment scores on their own are an inval id source of information concerning competence of practicing physician s, and this does not improve significantly with regular feedback. Copy right 1998 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.