Using Theater Gaming to Foster Perspective-Taking and Mitigate Bias Among Trauma Providers

Implicit biases and color blindness attitudes among health care providers negatively impact health outcomes and decision-making, particularly for marginalized trauma patients. While research highlights perspective-taking as a method to mitigate health care bias, effective educational strategies to reduce such biases among trauma care professionals remain understudied.

To evaluate the effectiveness of "A Brain Game: Deconstructing Bias" as an intervention for levels of perspective-taking and color blindness attitudes among trauma care professionals.

This is a single-center, prospective cohort survey study. Using a modified snowball sampling approach, participants were recruited and represented various trauma system roles, including clinicians, researchers, data analysts, social workers, and outpatient providers. Pre- and postintervention surveys assessed perspective-taking, color blindness attitudes, and willingness to consider bias.

A total of 132 participants initiated a presurvey with a total of 58 (44%) participants completing both pre- and postintervention surveys included in the analysis. Statistically significant changes observed with increases in perspective-taking scores ( p < .001), understanding social constructs ( p < .001), alongside decreases in color blindness ( p = .049), and unawareness of institutional racism ( p = .020). Additionally, 82.8% ( n = 48) of participants expressed a willingness to consider their biases before patient interactions.

This pilot study found that the theatrical intervention, "A Brain Game: Deconstructing Bias," improved trauma professionals' understanding of social constructs, enhanced perspective-taking, reduced color blindness attitudes, and increased willingness to consider bias in patient care. Despite its feasibility, moderate completion rates and single-center design limit generalizability. Further research is warranted.