title: Validating a self-confidence scale for surgical trainees.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Self-confidence is a feeling of trust in one's abilities, qualities, and judgement. It is one of the cognitive mechanisms underlying behavioural change. Variations in self-confidence influence motivation and predict performance success. We sought to validate a new tool for measuring self-confidence in surgical residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-confidence rating scale was developed and consisted of six questions about the attitudes of gynaecology residents while performing a vaginal hysterectomy. The residents were participants in a randomized controlled trial (2008 to 2011) and performed a vaginal hysterectomy before and after an educational intervention. They rated their own surgical performance on a validated global rating scale (GRS) of surgical skill and their self-confidence on the new rating scale. Supervising surgeons concurrently rated the residents' performance on the GRS. Correlations were sought between self-confidence scale scores and measures of competence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no difference in self-confidence scores between intervention and control residents at baseline. The number of vaginal hysterectomies performed before the educational intervention was associated with a significantly higher confidence level (P = 0.024). Other demographic variables such as age and gender did not influence confidence levels. Internal consistency between the individual scale items was good (Cronbach alpha 0.85). Self-confidence scores were significantly higher after the educational intervention (P = 0.04). Self-confidence was positively correlated with both self-assessed and supervising-surgeon-assessed GRS scores in both intervention and control residents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The self-confidence scale is a psychometrically valid tool to measure residents' self-confidence during surgical learning. More research is needed to establish the role of this scale for feedback, to channel self-confidence, and to optimize surgical skill acquisition.
authors: Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC.
authors: Roxana
authors: R
authors: Geoffrion
authors: Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC.
authors: Terry
authors: T
authors: Lee
authors: Centre for Health Evaluation and Outcome Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver BC.
authors: Joel
authors: J
authors: Singer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007044:Hysterectomy / Q000193:education; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D012649:Self Concept; D012655:Self-Evaluation Programs
keywords: gynaecology; self-confidence scale; surgical resident; validation