Residents' evaluation of behavioural paediatrics instruction

This study sought to explore the following questions: (1) Do residents perceive training focused on infancy and early childhood care issues as more clinically applicable than training focused on care of older children and adolescents? (2) Do residents at different training levels differ in their evaluation of behavioural paediatrics instruction? (3) What is the strength of the association between instructional style and clinical impact dimensions? and (4) Compared to the instruction provided by instructors from other medical and academic disciplines, do paediatric residents perceive differences in the teaching efficacy and clinical relevance of instruction provided by paediatricians? Data were drawn from 1341 residents' evaluations of 116 required behavioural paediatrics sessions over 3 years. The data demonstrated that house officers recognize the value of acquiring knowledge in behavioural paediatrics, regardless of the level of the house officers' training, or whether the focus concerned infants or older children. However, residents were more likely to perceive the presentations provided by paediatricians as providing instruction that was slightly more applicable to their practice needs than instruction that other faculty presented. The study results further demonstrated that the clarity and organization of instruction influences, but does not supercede, the residents' perception of the merit of instruction. The findings suggest that international recommendations for greater inclusion and acceptance of behavioural paediatric instruction can be achieved in programmes that, by requiring participation, confer equal status to behavioural paediatrics and traditional residency training. The results support residents' acceptance of a health team approach to behavioural paediatric instruction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)