Family practice residents' perspectives on Balint group training: in-depth interviews with frequent and infrequent...

Balint groups are focused discussion groups that help students, residents, or physicians respond empathetically to their patients and recognize underlying psychosocial elements in patients' complaints. Approximately 40% to 60% of residents who start optional Balint group training show infrequent attendance. The primary objective of this study was to interview frequent and nonfrequent attenders to assess the value of Balint group training from the residents' perspective and to explain why many residents attend Balint group meetings infrequently or discontinue Balint training altogether.

Two methods were used to discern differences between frequent attenders and infrequent attenders: (1) evaluation of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) data collected at the beginning of the residency program, and (2) semi-structured personal interviews with both frequent and infrequent attenders.

MBTI data showed frequent attenders to have higher scores than infrequent attenders in the intuitive dimension. Interviews with Balint group attenders showed strong perception about the value of this training. The majority felt Balint training had improved their effectiveness as family physicians, specifically when dealing with troubling patients. Infrequent attenders mentioned scheduling problems and a variety of emotional/personality factors as reasons for not attending Balint seminars. Frequent attenders attributed nonattendance in others to lack of interest in the psychodynamics of the doctor-patient relationship and differences in personality type.

Residents who participated in Balint groups perceive this training as helpful in understanding themselves in relationships with their patients. However, the study results suggest that many residents choose not to attend optional Balint group seminars because of emotional or personality variables, such as anxiety about self-disclosure and introversion. While Balint groups are a valuable component of a family practice residency program, it is likely that not all residents will be motivated or capable of deriving benefits from this teaching approach.