title: A survey of mindset theories of intelligence and medical error self-reporting among pediatric housestaff and faculty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intelligence theory research has illustrated that people hold either "fixed" (intelligence is immutable) or "growth" (intelligence can be improved) mindsets and that these views may affect how people learn throughout their lifetime. Little is known about the mindsets of physicians, and how mindset may affect their lifetime learning and integration of feedback. Our objective was to determine if pediatric physicians are of the "fixed" or "growth" mindset and whether individual mindset affects perception of medical error reporting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We sent an anonymous electronic survey to pediatric residents and attending pediatricians at a tertiary care pediatric hospital. Respondents completed the "Theories of Intelligence Inventory" which classifies individuals on a 6-point scale ranging from 1 (Fixed Mindset) to 6 (Growth Mindset). Subsequent questions collected data on respondents' recall of medical errors by self or others.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We received 176/349 responses (50 %). Participants were equally distributed between mindsets with 84 (49 %) classified as "fixed" and 86 (51 %) as "growth". Residents, fellows and attendings did not differ in terms of mindset. Mindset did not correlate with the small number of reported medical errors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no dominant theory of intelligence (mindset) amongst pediatric physicians. The distribution is similar to that seen in the general population. Mindset did not correlate with error reports.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Three Lower Counties Community Services, Salisbury, Maryland, USA.
authors: Mithila
authors: M
authors: Jegathesan
authors: Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA.
authors: Yaffa M
authors: YM
authors: Vitberg
authors: Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA. mpusic@gmail.com.
authors: Martin V
authors: MV
authors: Pusic
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019300:Medical Errors / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009518:New York; D000072143:Pediatricians / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D057566:Self Report; D012647:Self-Assessment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014342:Truth Disclosure