A meta-analysis of the published research on the effects of child sexual abuse (CSA) was undertaken for 6 outcomes: posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, suicide, sexual promiscuity, victim-perpetrator cycle, and poor academic performance. Thirty-seven studies published between 1981 and 1995 involving 25,367 people were included. Many of the studies were published in 1994 (24; 65%), and most were done in the United States (22; 59%). All six dependent variables were coded, and effect sizes (d) were computed for each outcome. Average unweighted and weighted ds for each of the respective outcome variables were .50 and .40 for PTSD, .63 and .44 for depression, .64 and .44 for suicide, .59 and .29 for sexual promiscuity, .41 and .16 for victim-perpetrator cycle, and .24 and .19 for academic performance. A file drawer analysis indicated that 277 studies with null ds would be required to negate the present findings. The analyses provide clear evidence confirming the link between CSA and subsequent negative short- and long-term effects on development. There were no statistically significant differences on ds when various potentially mediating variables such as gender, socioeconomic status, type of abuse, age when abused, relationship to perpetrator, and number of abuse incidents were assessed. The results of the present meta-analysis support the multifaceted model of traumatization rather than a specific sexual abuse syndrome of CSA.

Many medical graduates are deficient in anatomy knowledge and perhaps below the standards for safe medical practice. Three-dimensional visualization technology (3DVT) has been advanced as a promising tool to enhance anatomy knowledge. The purpose of this review is to conduct a meta-analysis of the effectiveness of 3DVT in teaching and learning anatomy compared to all teaching methods. The primary outcomes were scores of anatomy knowledge tests expressed as factual or spatial knowledge percentage means. Secondary outcomes were perception scores of the learners. Thirty-six studies met the inclusion criteria including 28 (78%) randomized studies. Based on 2,226 participants including 2,128 from studies with comparison groups, 3DVTs (1) resulted in higher (d = 0.30, 95%CI: 0.02-0.62) factual knowledge, (2) yielded significant better results (d = 0.50, 95%CI: 0.20-0.80) in spatial knowledge acquisition, and (3) produced significant increase in user satisfaction (d = 0.28, 95%CI = 0.12-0.44) and in learners' perception of the effectiveness of the learning tool (d = 0.28, 95%CI = 0.14-0.43). The total mean scores (out of five) and ±SDs for QUESTS's Quality and Strength dimensions were 4.38 (±SD 1.3) and 3.3 (±SD 1.7), respectively. The results have high internal validity, for the improved outcomes of 3DVTs compared to other methods of anatomy teaching. Given that anatomy teaching and learning in the modern medical school appears to be approaching a crisis, 3DVT can be a potential solution to the problem of inadequate anatomy pedagogy.

BackgroundStructural equation modeling (SEM) is a set of statistical techniques used to measure and analyze the relationships of observed and latent variables. Similar but more powerful than regression analyses, it examines linear causal relationships among variables, while simultaneously accounting for measurement error. The purpose of the present paper is to explicate SEM to medical and health sciences researchers and exemplify their application.FindingsTo facilitate its use we provide a series of steps for applying SEM to research problems. We then present three examples of how SEM has been utilized in medical and health sciences research.ConclusionWhen many considerations are given to research planning, SEM can provide a new perspective on analyzing data and potential for advancing research in medical and health sciences.

The predictive validity of the MCAT ranges from small to medium for both medical school performance and medical board licensing exam measures. The medical profession is challenged to develop screening and selection criteria with improved validity that can supplement the MCAT as an important criterion for admission to medical schools.

New methods are needed for assessing surgeons' performance across a wide range of competencies. Violato and colleagues describe the development of a programme based on feedback from medical colleagues, coworkers, and patients for the assessment of surgeons throughout Alberta, CanadaThe assessment and maintenance of competence of physicians has received worldwide attention, 1-4 partly in response to concerns about poor performance by physicians and the safety of patients 5 6 and partly as a result of demands for accountability to patients and funding agencies. 2-4New approaches to quality improvement have resulted, as have initiatives focusing on identifying and assessing poor performance. [7][8][9] Throughout the Western world, thinking about competence has shifted. Medical expertise and clinical decision making are increasingly recognised as only components of competence. Communication skills, interpersonal skills, collegiality, professionalism, and a demonstrated ability to continuously improve must also be considered when assessing physicians.2-4 7 8 10 11Multisource feedback, using questionnaire data from patients, medical colleagues, and coworkers, is gaining acceptance and credibility as a means of providing primary care physicians with quality improvement data as part of an overall strategy of maintaining competence and certification.1 7 8 Work with Canadian, American, and Scottish generalist physicians shows that this method is reliable, valid, and feasible.7 8 12-15 Research in both industry and medicine shows that multisource feedback systems (or 360°f eedback) can result in individual improvement and the adoption of new practices.12 [16][17][18] The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, the statutory medical registration body for the province of Alberta, adopted a performance appraisal or multisource feedback system for all physicians in its jurisdiction-the physician achievement review program. This system focuses on quality improvement and operates entirely separately from the complaints and disciplinary procedures. Medical colleagues, coworkers (for example, nurses, pharmacists, and psychologists), patients, and the physician (self) all provide survey based data, which are summarised by item and category and compared with the physician's specialty group. The instruments for family physicians were psychometrically tested and adopted.7 8 19 As part of its overall goal of ensuring that all physicians in the province participate in a multisource feedback process every five years, the college asked a committee of surgeons and social scientists to design and test instruments that could be used for the surgical specialties. This paper describes the development and evaluation of a multisource feedback system for surgeons designed to assess a broad range of competencies.

The use of MSF employing medical colleagues, coworkers, and patients as a method to assess physicians in practice has been shown to have high reliability, validity, and feasibility.

The present study is a meta-analysis of the published research on the effects of corporal punishment on affective, cognitive, and behavioral outcomes. The authors included 70 studies published between 1961 and 2000 and involving 47,751 people. Most of the studies were published between 1990 and 2000 (i.e., 53 or 68%) and were conducted in the United States (65 or 83.3%). Each of the dependent variables was coded, and effect sizes (ds) were computed. Average unweighted and weighted ds for each of the outcome variables were .35 and .20 for affective outcomes, .33 and .06 for cognitive outcomes, and .25 and .21 for behavioral outcomes, respectively. The analyses suggested small negative behavioral and emotional effects of corporal punishment and almost no effect of such punishment on cognition. Analyses of several potentially moderating variables, such as gender or socioeconomic status, and the frequency or age of first experience of corporal punishment, the relationship of the person administering the discipline, and the technique of the discipline all had no affect on effect size outcome. There was insufficient data about a number of the moderator variables to conduct meaningful analyses. The results of the present meta-analysis suggest that exposure to corporal punishment does not substantially increase the risk to youth of developing affective, cognitive, or behavioral pathologies.

Notwithstanding some pitfalls, SEM does provide promise for testing complex, integrated theoretical models and advance research in medical education.