Balint groups in undergraduate medical education: a systematic review

Monk, Alice; Hind, Daniel; Crimlisk, Helen

doi:10.1080/02668734.2017.1405361

Cited by 16 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…Traditional Balint-groups are based on voluntary participation, and most student Balint-groups have taken that approach. 38 In our scheme, attendance was initially optional but some students chose to skip the second session, especially in the run-up to examinations. Olds and Malone 36 reported that for two out of their six student sessions, just one of the nine expected students attended, because of ‘medical appointments’ and ‘other teaching commitments’.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Evaluations have used questionnaires, 35 participant observation, 36 leaders’ observations and students’ reflective essays, 31 formal qualitative analysis 28 and randomised controlled trials. 37 A recent systematic review of Balint-groups in undergraduate medical education 38 found just eight studies (four quantitative, one qualitative and three multi-method) which met the authors’ inclusion criteria of ‘relating to undergraduate medical students’ and ‘relating to interventions which had been labelled as Balint-groups’. It concluded that Balint-groups might help medical students to become more patient-centred, increase students’ empathic abilities and support personal and professional growth.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Balint-style reflective practice groups in a year 4 undergraduate general practice attachment: experience of the first two years

et al. 2020

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Background and aims Many undergraduate medical curricula include reflective practice sessions based on traditional Balint-groups. Those sessions can help students to acknowledge that experiencing ‘negative’ feelings in relation to patients is normal and may contain important information about the clinical encounter. They may also help to protect students from some of the emotional challenges of studying medicine. The Edinburgh University scheme provides all students in their first clinical year with two dedicated reflective practice sessions. Here we report on experience of the first two years. Methods Students’ attitudes to the sessions were ascertained using a questionnaire, and views of the group leaders were assessed using a questionnaire and through informal verbal and email discussions. Practical difficulties were recorded as they arose. Results Students generally rated the sessions positively with regard to exploring relationships and self-reflection, and they found the sessions interesting and helpful. The sessions did not seem to affect career choice. The free-text comments suggested four positive themes and four areas for future modification. Conclusion We have succeeded in providing all undergraduate students with an opportunity to take part in a reflective practice. We have highlighted aspects which have been successful and suggested future improvements.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Balint-style reflective practice groups in a year 4 undergraduate general practice attachment: experience of the first two years

et al. 2020

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“…2 Bristol and Kings College London are unique in trying to ensure that all their first-year clinical medical students participate in a student Balint group. However, when the groups are optional rather than a compulsory part of medical school curricula, they are more valued by students (Monk, Hind & Crimlisk, 2018). The Pan London Medical Student Balint Society has recently been established and the Royal College of Psychiatrists now holds a biannual Medical Student Balint Group and Student Psychotherapy Symposium.…”

Section: Medical Student Balint Groupsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing a Psychosomatic Imagination in Medical Students and Psychotherapy Trainees

Shoenberg¹

2020

Brit J Psychotherapy

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How can we help medical students and psychotherapy trainees to develop an awareness of the mind in relation to the body, so that both can develop a psychosomatic imagination? This is an exploration of some of the difficulties that medical students have in appreciating the role of emotions in illness and of the difficulties psychotherapy trainees have in considering the importance of the body in psychotherapeutic work with patients with physical symptoms. Student Balint discussion groups and student psychotherapy schemes give clinical medical students the opportunity to explore their own and their patients' emotional reactions to illness and to learn about the interplay of emotions with the body in physical illness. The Royal College of Psychiatrists is now encouraging the development of such Balint groups and/or psychotherapy schemes in all UK medical schools. Psychotherapy trainees studying the effects of emotions in psychosomatic illnesses often have difficulty in learning how to interpret physical symptoms that occur in psychotherapy. They tend to want to see such symptoms as having symbolic meaning and find it hard to appreciate the medical logic of physical illness. It is important that some medical understanding of these conditions is also included in seminars on psychosomatic conditions.

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“…If not addressed, academic stress may significantly increase exhaustion, alienation, decrease motivation and alter the perception of learning, these potentially evolving into a welldefinite burnout syndrome at the end of studies or at the beginning of the professional career [15][16][17]. Counseling [18], classic psychotherapy (e.g., cognitive-behavioral therapy, assertive training, or mindfulness) [19][20][21], as well as self-help assemblies (such as Balint groups) [22][23][24] have been used as viable tools to address academic stress; however, their implementation is not systematic. This is partly explained by the particular organizational context of medical universities [25,26], but also by the incomplete clarification of the rela-tionships between the variables contributing to the students' perception of academic stress and their investment in learning.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Teaching Style, Coping Strategies, Stress and Social Support: Associations to the Medical Students’ Perception of Learning during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

et al. 2021

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This study assessed the learning perception of undergraduate medical students on three types of teaching (classical/online/hybrid), in relation to coping strategies, stress, and social support, in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Additionally, we explored gender differences and the perceived usefulness of teaching. 201 students (48 men, 153 women; mean age = 22.900, SD = 2.830) participated in the study. They answered a Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, a Brief Cope Scale, a Student-life Stress Inventory, a visual analog scale for usefulness, and a survey collecting their perceptions about learning across teaching types. Results point out a preference for classical teaching, followed by the hybrid and online formats. Online teaching was identified as more advantageous in terms of time management and seeking information. Denial and substance use were statistically associated with poor communication, bad time using, and impaired learning. Both stress and social support had ambivalent associations with learning perceptions. Gender differences were limited to behavioral disengagement and higher social support perceived by women. Although classical teaching was globally perceived as the most useful, online teaching was considered desirable by male urban respondents. These data may contribute to the strategic growth and refinement of web-based teaching methods in medical universities.

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Balint groups in undergraduate medical education: a systematic review

Abstract: This is a repository copy of Balint groups in undergraduate medical education: a systematic review.

Cited by 16 publications

References 47 publications

Balint-style reflective practice groups in a year 4 undergraduate general practice attachment: experience of the first two years

Balint-style reflective practice groups in a year 4 undergraduate general practice attachment: experience of the first two years

Developing a Psychosomatic Imagination in Medical Students and Psychotherapy Trainees

Teaching Style, Coping Strategies, Stress and Social Support: Associations to the Medical Students’ Perception of Learning during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

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