Teaching Students to Identify Psychosocial Cues in Problem-Based Learning Cases

Abstract

This study’s objective was to explore preclinical medical students’ consideration of psychosocial variables in problem-based learning (PBL) cases. The authors used PBL cases that included psychosocial data and case content focused on behavioral science, biological science, or a combination of both. The authors compared, using one-way analysis of variance, the mean number of cues, learning issues, and hypotheses that the students generated in their written responses to PBL cases that varied in the amount of psychosocial content. The results revealed that the students identified psychosocial cues consistently across all curriculum segments, but the mean numbers of psychosocial hypotheses and learning issues were highest in the PBL case units dominated by psychosocial material. The authors conclude that the recognition of psychosocial data as germane disease variables is achieved more easily than the use of such data in a biopsychosocial formulation of traditional medical problems. A lack of sophistication and experience might make the latter task difficult to accomplish for many second-year medical students without using specific educational strategies.