title: Does psychosocial competency training for junior physicians working in pediatric medicine improve individual skills and perceived job stress.
abstract: Pediatricians' job performance, work engagement, and job satisfaction are essential for both the individual physician and quality of care for their little patients and parents. Therefore, it is important to maintain or possibly augment pediatricians' individual and professional competencies. In this study, we developed and implemented a psychosocial competency training (PCT) teaching different psychosocial competencies and stress coping techniques. We investigated (1) the influence of the PCT on work-related characteristics: stress perception, work engagement, job satisfaction and (2) explored pediatricians' outcomes and satisfaction with PCT. Fifty-four junior physicians working in pediatric hospital departments participated in the training and were randomized in an intervention (n = 26) or a control group (n = 28). In the beginning, at follow-up 1 and 2, both groups answered a self-rated questionnaire on perceived training outcomes and work-related factors. The intervention group showed that their job satisfaction significantly increased while perceived stress scores decreased after taking part in the PCT. No substantial changes were observed with regard to pediatricians' work engagement. Participating physicians evaluated PCT with high scores for training design, content, received outcome, and overall satisfaction with the training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Professional psychosocial competency training could improve junior pediatricians' professional skills, reduce stress perception, increase their job satisfaction, and psychosocial skills. In addition, this study indicates that the PCT is beneficial to be implemented as a group training program for junior pediatricians at work. What is Known: • Junior pediatricians often report experiencing high levels of job strain and little supervisory support. • High levels of job demands make pediatricians vulnerable for mental health problems and decreased work ability. What is New: • Development, implementation, and evaluation of a psychosocial competency training for junior pediatricians working in clinical settings • Psychosocial competency training has the potential to improve pediatricians' psychosocial skills and perceptions of perceived work-related stress and job satisfaction.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Free University and Humboldt University, Thielallee 69-73, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernburg
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Free University and Humboldt University, Thielallee 69-73, 14195, Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baresi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Groneberg
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe-University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt am Main, Germany. s.mache@uke.de.|Institute for Occupational and Maritime Medicine (ZfAM), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Seewartenstrasse 10, 20459, Hamburg, Germany. s.mache@uke.de.
authors.forename: Stefanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mache
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D000072143:Pediatricians / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Job satisfaction; Job strain; Mental health; Stress management; Work engagement