Conceptual competences in philosophy of psychiatry: A cross-sectional survey

The complexity of psychiatry requires an integrated approach that combines empirical practice, experiential insight, and theoretical reflection. This study, integrated within a broader international project, aimed to assess self-reported conceptual competences among French psychiatry students and practitioners, underlining the pedagogical necessity of integrating philosophy into psychiatry education to address both clinical and research challenges.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among French psychiatric residents, practicing psychiatrists, and retired psychiatrists recruited through professional networks and associations. Participants completed an online questionnaire on self-reported conceptual competences in psychiatry consisting of 18 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale, plus a complementary item. The questionnaire was structured into three dimensions: perceived integration of conceptual competences (7 items), perceived execution of conceptual competences (3 items), and declared knowledge of conceptual competences (8 items). A complementary item assessed the declared nature of six psychiatric conditions.

A total of 353 participants, primarily women (65.2%) and psychiatry practitioners (53.4%) with an average age of 33.3years, completed the questionnaire showing varied familiarity with conceptual issues in psychiatry. The mean scores across the three dimensions of conceptual competences were as follows: 3.19 for the perceived integration of conceptual competences dimension, 3.14 for the perceived execution of conceptual competences dimension, and 3.81 for the declared knowledge of conceptual competences dimension. Among participants, 90.1% endorsed the need for including philosophical training in psychiatric curricula, with 80.2% supporting skill development in this area. High agreement was observed on the need for multiple perspectives (94.3%). Confidence in conceptual understanding was moderate (41.9%), while critical evaluation confidence was lower (24.4%).

The findings support the need for incorporating conceptual competences into psychiatry education and practice. Frequent encounters with philosophical challenges in clinical settings, coupled with noted gaps in current training, highlight the critical importance of structured pedagogical approaches in psychiatry to examine these conceptual issues. Longitudinal studies will be needed to evaluate the potential impact of such educational programs on the evolution of participants' conceptual competences across the three dimensions of the questionnaire.