Temperamental correlates of trauma symptoms in firemen, policemen and soldiers

Objectives: The main goal of the research was to assess temperamental determinants of trauma symptoms in firemen, policemen and soldiers. The temperament traits which were considered were those postulated by the Regulative Theory of Temperament (briskness, perseveration, sensory sensitivity, emotional reactivity, endurance and activity). Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was run on non-clinical samples. The participants were 417 men, White-Caucasian only: 284 firemen (aged 21–55), 58 policemen (aged 22–45), and 75 soldiers (aged 21–42). Temperament was assessed using the Formal Characteristics of Behavior – Temperament Inventory. Intensity of trauma symptoms was assessed with the PTSD-Factorial Version Inventory, a quantitative measure of trauma-related symptoms. The respondents were examined in their place of work. The study included only men reporting at least 1 traumatic event during the year before the trauma diagnosis. Results: Emotional reactivity had a significant positive effect on the intensity of trauma symptoms only in the group of firemen. Emotional reactivity accounted for 16% of the variance of trauma intensity symptoms in this occupational group. Negative significant effect on trauma symptoms was found for briskness only in the soldiers group (briskness explained 20% trauma intensity variance in this group). Conclusions: Emotional reactivity was conducive to the increased trauma symptoms intensity in firemen, whereas briskness tended to reduce symptoms intensity only in the group of soldiers

FAMULATUR PLUS - Ein erfolgreicher Ansatz zur Verbesserung studentischer Fertigkeiten in der körperlichen Untersuchung?

Introduction/Project description: Several studies have revealed insufficient physical examination skills among medical students, both with regard to the completeness of the physical examination and the accuracy of the techniques used. FAMULATUR PLUS was developed in response to these findings. As part of this practice-oriented instructional intervention, physical examination skills should be taught through examination seminars and problem-oriented learning approaches. In order to ensure practical relevance, all courses are integrated into a 30-day clinical traineeship in the surgery or internal medicine department of a hospital (FAMULATUR PLUS).Research question: Does participation in the FAMULATUR PLUS project lead to a more optimistic self-assessment of examination skills and/or improved performance of the physical examination?Methodology: A total of 49 medical students participated in the study. The inclusion criteria were as follows: enrollment in the clinical studies element of their degree program at the University of Ulm and completion of the university course in internal medicine examinations. Based on their personal preferences, students were assigned to either the intervention (surgery/internal medicine; n=24) or the control group (internal medicine; n=25). All students completed a self-assessment of their physical examination skills in the form of a questionnaire. However, practical examination skills were only assessed in the students in the intervention group. These students were asked to carry out a general physical examination of the simulation patient, which was recorded and evaluated in a standardized manner. In both instances, data collection was carried out prior to and after the intervention. Results: The scores arising from the student self-assessment in the intervention (IG) and control groups (CG) improves significantly in the pre-post comparison, with average scores increasing from 3.83 (±0.72; IG) and 3.54 (±0.37; CG) to 1.92 (±0.65; IG) and 3.23 (±0.73; CG). The general physical examination, which was only assessed among the students in the intervention group, was performed more completely after the instructional intervention than prior to it.Discussion: On the basis of the data collected, it can be deduced that the FAMULATUR PLUS course has a positive effect on the self-assessment of medical students with regard to their physical examination skills. The validity of this conclusion is limited by the small sample size. In addition, it remains unclear whether a more positive self-assessment correlates with an objective improvement in physical examination skills.Einleitung/Projektbeschreibung: Etliche Studien belegen die unzureichenden Kenntnisse Medizinstudierender in der körperlichen Untersuchung. Dies betrifft sowohl die Vollständigkeit wie auch die Technik der körperlichen Untersuchung. Vor diesem Hintergrund wurde die FAMULATUR PLUS entwickelt. Im Rahmen dieser praxisorientierten Lehrintervention soll die körperliche Untersuchung durch Untersuchungskurse und problemorientiertes Lernen vermittelt werden. Zur Gewährleistung der Praxisnähe sind alle Lehrveranstaltungen in eine 30tägige Famulatur in der Chirurgie oder Inneren Medizin integriert (FAMULATUR PLUS).Fragestellung: Führt die Teilnahme an der FAMULATUR PLUS zu einer optimistischeren Selbsteinschätzung der Untersuchungsfertigkeiten und/oder verbesserten Durchführung der körperlichen Untersuchung?Methodik: An der Studie nahmen insgesamt 49 Medizinstudierende teil. Einschlusskriterien waren die Immatrikulation im klinischen Studienabschnitt an der Universität Ulm sowie die Absolvierung des universitären Untersuchungskurses der Inneren Medizin. Die Studierenden entschieden sich nach individueller Präferenz für die Zuordnung zur Interventions- (Chirurgie/Innere Medizin; n=24) oder Kontrollgruppe (Innere Medizin; n=25). Die Selbsteinschätzung hinsichtlich der Fertigkeiten in der körperlichen Untersuchung wurde mittels eines Fragebogens für alle Studierenden evaluiert. Im Gegensatz dazu erfolgte die Erhebung der praktischen Untersuchungsfertigkeiten nur bei den Studierenden der Interventionsgruppe. Diese wurden aufgefordert, eine allgemein-orientierende körperliche Untersuchung am Simulationspatienten durchzuführen, welche aufgezeichnet und standardisiert ausgewertet wurde. Beide Erhebungen erfolgten prä- und postinterventionell. Ergebnisse: Die Selbsteinschätzung der Studierenden von Interventions- (IG) und Kontrollgruppe (KG) verbessert sich signifikant im Prä-Post-Vergleich von den Durchschnittsnoten 3,83 (±0,72; IG) und 3,54 (±0,37; KG) auf 1,92 (±0,65; IG) und 3,23 (±0,73; KG). Die nur bei den Studierenden der Interventionsgruppe erhobene allgemein-orientierende körperliche Untersuchung wird nach der Lehrintervention vollständiger durchgeführt als zuvor.Diskussion: Aus den erhobenen Daten lässt sich ein positiver Effekt der FAMULATUR PLUS auf die Selbsteinschätzung Medizinstudierender hinsichtlich ihrer Fertigkeiten in der körperlichen Untersuchung ableiten. Limitiert wird die Aussagekraft durch die geringe Stichprobengröße. Zudem bleibt offen, ob eine positivere Selbstevaluation mit eine