Mental practice improves surgical technical and non-technical performance in the majority of primary studies synthesised in systematic reviews¶

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

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Of 73 experimental reports contained in the six included reviews, 51 reported positive impacts of mental practice while 16 reported no effect or negative effects on performance. → Snelgrove Huon; Gabbott Ben 2020 q2 i? At Kirkpatrick levels 2a and 2b, intervention groups significantly outperformed controls on validated instruments such as OSATS and Global Rating Scales. → 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

A systematic rapid evidence assessment of six systematic reviews of mental practice in surgery (searches July–December 2018). The review of reviews reports that of 73 experimental reports, "fifty-one reported positive impacts of MP while 16 described no effect, or negative effects on performance".

"Of 73 experimental reports contained in the reviews, fifty-one reported positive impacts of MP while 16 described no effect, or negative effects on performance."

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 · r3

Narrative synthesis of the six included reviews, categorising reported outcomes on a modified Kirkpatrick typology. The authors report that at levels 2a and 2b "intervention groups significantly outperformed controls", measured with OSATS, Global Rating Scales and stress measures; no effect size is printed.

"the majority of outcomes are at level 2a (Learner perceptions) and 2b (Knowledge & Skills acquisition) where the reported evidence base is stronger and intervention groups significantly outperformed controls"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Evidence for mental practice impacts in surgery does not exceed Kirkpatrick level 3, and no study reported system-level (level 4) change
• Mental training methods for surgical stress management show positive effects on stress experience and technical performance — related
• Preoperative mental practice and mental imagery enhance MIS surgical performance — related
• 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 — a narrower finding that bears on this claim