title: Promoting mental health competency in residency training.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect our developmental-behavioral pediatrics (DBP) curricular model had on residents' comfort with handling mental health issues.
  
  
  METHODS
  From August 2007 to January 2010, residents participating in the Indiana University DBP rotation completed a self-assessment questionnaire at baseline and at rotation end. Residents rated their comfort with the identification, treatment, and counseling of mental health problems using a 5-point scale.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ninety-four residents completed both self-assessments. At baseline, categorical pediatric residents possessed higher comfort levels toward identification (mean 2.8 vs. 2.3 for non-categorical pediatrics residents, p<0.05), treatment (2.6 vs. 2.2, p<0.05) and counseling of mental health issues (2.7 vs. 2.1, p<0.005). Residents who were parents were also more comfortable. At rotation end, all residents showed significant improvements in self-rated comfort (4.0 vs. 2.6 for identification, p≤0.05; 4.0 vs. 2.4 for treatment, p≤0.05; and 4.0 vs. 2.4 for counseling, p≤0.05). This remained true regardless of being a categorical pediatric resident, a parent, or primary care-oriented.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our curricular model promotes residents' comfort with handling common mental health issues in practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing residents' comfort may influence the frequency of active discussion of mental health issues during well-child visits and lead to earlier diagnosis and needed treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of General and Community Pediatrics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA. nsbauer@iupui.edu
authors.forename: Nerissa S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: Paula D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Sullivan
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hus
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Downs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007196:Indiana; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D016743:Mental Competency; D008603:Mental Health / Q000193:education*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires