Temporal pattern of emotions and cognitive load during simulation training and debriefing

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Simulation-Based Learning
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Learner emotional activation in simulated clinical environments offers perceived benefits but carries risks of excessive or negative emotions.
• Understanding learner emotional experiences across simulation phases is crucial for optimizing instructional design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the emotional states and perceived cognitive load of medical students during a simulation session.
• To explore the relationship between emotions and cognitive load throughout the simulation experience.

Main Methods:

• Observational study involving 174 first-year medical students.
• Assessment of emotional state and cognitive load at three time points: pre-simulation (t1), post-simulation (t2), and post-debriefing (t3).

Main Results:

• Tranquility decreased significantly from pre-simulation to post-simulation, returning to baseline after debriefing.
• Cognitive load was moderately high post-simulation and increased further after debriefing.
• Emotions were significantly associated with perceived cognitive load at both post-simulation and post-debriefing stages.

Conclusions:

• Medical simulation experiences demonstrably alter participants' emotions.
• A significant association exists between emotional states and subjective cognitive load ratings during medical simulation.