title: Development and validation of a computer-based situational judgement test to assess medical students' communication skills in the field of shared decision making.
abstract: To develop a computer-based test (CBT) measuring medical students' communication skills in the field of shared decision making (SDM) and to evaluate its construct validity.
  
  
  
  The CBT was developed in the context of an experimental study comparing three different trainings for SDM (including e-learning and/or role-play) and a control group. Assessment included a CBT (Part A: seven context-poor questions, Part B: 15 context-rich questions) and interviews with two simulated patients (SP-assessment). Cronbach's α was used to test the internal consistency. Correlations between CBT and SP-assessment were used to further evaluate construct validity of the CBT.
  
  
  
  Seventy-two students took part in the study. Mean value for the CBT score was 72% of the total score. Cronbach's α was 0.582. After eliminating three items, Cronbach's α increased to 0.625. Correlations between the CBT and SP-assessment were low to moderate. The control group scored significantly lower than the training settings (p<0.001).
  
  
  
  The CBT was reliable enough to test for group differences. For summative assessment purposes, considerably more questions would be needed.
  
  
  
  We encourage teachers who particularly work with large student numbers to consider CBT as a feasible assessment method for cognitive aspects of communication skills.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Didaktik und Ausbildungsforschung in der Medizin am Klinikum der Universität München, Germany; Assessment Department, Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Germany. Electronic address: claudia.kiessling@mhb-fontane.de.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kiessling
authors.affiliation: TUM School of Education, Technische Universität München, Germany.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: TUM School of Education, Technische Universität München, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gartmeier
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iblher
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medical Education, Deańs Office of Education, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Gudrun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Karsten
authors.affiliation: Institut für Didaktik und Ausbildungsforschung in der Medizin am Klinikum der Universität München, Germany.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kiesewetter
authors.affiliation: Centre for Medical Education, Deańs Office of Education, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Germany.
authors.forename: Grit E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Moeller
authors.affiliation: TUM School of Education, Technische Universität München, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wiesbeck
authors.affiliation: Office for Student Affairs, Fakultät für Gesundheit, Universität Witten/Herdecke, Germany.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zupanic
authors.affiliation: Institut für Didaktik und Ausbildungsforschung in der Medizin am Klinikum der Universität München, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Fischer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003142:Communication; D003201:Computers; D003657:Decision Making; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Communication skills; Computer-based assessment; Medical education; Shared decision making; Situational judgement test