Evidence for mental practice impacts in surgery does not exceed Kirkpatrick level 3, and no study reported system-level (level 4) change¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (2 entries) · review r2–r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2020 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Reported impacts of mental practice mapped onto a modified Kirkpatrick framework did not exceed level 3 (behavioural change/transfer). → Snelgrove Huon; Gabbott Ben 2020 q2 i? None of the included reviews reported results at Kirkpatrick level 4 (changes in practice at system level). → Snelgrove Huon; Gabbott Ben 2020 (2)

Evidence¶

Snelgrove Huon; Gabbott Ben 2020¶

Snelgrove Huon; Gabbott Ben. (2020). Critical analysis of evidence about the impacts on surgical teams of ‘mental practice’ in systematic reviews: a systematic rapid evidence assessment (SREA). BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02131-3

q2 · i? · review · r3

The SREA's results section states the headline mapping finding: across the six reviews, "reported impacts on a modified Kirkpatrick’s framework did not exceed level 3". Only three reviews referred to evidence for behaviour change (level 3), and in all three reviewers expressed concerns for data quality.

"However, reported impacts on a modified Kirkpatrick’s framework did not exceed level 3."

Snelgrove Huon; Gabbott Ben 2020 (2)¶

Snelgrove Huon; Gabbott Ben. (2020). Critical analysis of evidence about the impacts on surgical teams of ‘mental practice’ in systematic reviews: a systematic rapid evidence assessment (SREA). BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02131-3

q2 · i? · review · r2

In the reported-impact section the authors state that "None of the studies reported results at Level 4", i.e. no review reported organisational or system-level changes attributable to mental practice. Table 5 shows empty cells at levels 4a–4c for all six reviews.

"None of the studies reported results at Level 4 (Changes in practice at system level)."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Mental practice improves surgical technical and non-technical performance in the majority of primary studies synthesised in systematic reviews
• Evidence for transfer and long-term impact of mental practice is sparse but includes positive trends: combined MP plus physical practice improved suturing transfer, and mental rehearsal lowered endovascular error rates
• Evidence on transfer to clinical behavior and patient outcomes is scarce: only 2 studies reached Kirkpatrick level 3 and 1 reached level 4 — reports the opposite
• No included WBA feedback study demonstrated improved learning and performance as a direct result of WBA (Kirkpatrick Level 4); the highest level reached was Level 3 — a narrower finding that bears on this claim