Professional Experience Modulates the Effect of Impulsiveness on Laparoscopic Simulator Performance

Area of Science:

• Surgical Education
• Psychology
• Human Factors Engineering

Background:

• High impulsiveness is linked to negative outcomes in various fields, including driving and job performance.
• In surgical training, impulsiveness correlates with increased damage during simulated laparoscopic procedures.
• Understanding the influence of impulsiveness on surgical skills is crucial for effective training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of professional experience on the relationship between impulsiveness and simulated laparoscopic performance.
• To determine if experienced surgeons' performance differs from that of inexperienced trainees concerning impulsiveness.

Main Methods:

• 120 participants (inexperienced and experienced laparoscopic surgeons) performed standardized tasks on a LapSim Virtual Reality trainer.
• Participants were grouped into high and low impulsiveness based on the UPPSP scale.
• Mann-Whitney U tests and Spearman's rank correlation were used to analyze performance metrics and impulsiveness facets.

Main Results:

• Inexperienced trainees with high impulsiveness completed tasks faster but caused more tissue damage.
• Experienced surgeons showed no significant performance differences related to impulsiveness in task duration or tissue damage.
• For inexperienced trainees, specific impulsiveness facets like lack of premeditation correlated with speed, while urgency and perseverance issues related to damage.

Conclusions:

• High impulsiveness negatively impacts laparoscopic simulator performance in inexperienced trainees, increasing speed at the cost of safety.
• Professional experience appears to buffer the adverse effects of impulsiveness on surgical simulation performance.
• These findings suggest that experience is a key factor in managing impulsiveness in surgical training.