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Teaching an Experiential Mind–Body Method to Medical Students to Increase Interpersonal Skills: A Pilot Study

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Abstract

Objective

The authors investigate whether inner relationship focusing increases self-awareness in medical students and, in the process, to give them experience with empathic listening.

Methods

Thirteen second-year medical students were randomized into experimental and control groups and surveyed pre-course and post-course about their self-awareness and perceived comfort with clinical interpersonal skills. Subjects attended a 20-h course on inner relationship focusing, followed by 5 months of weekly sessions. Pre-course and post-course survey scores were averaged by group, and mean differences were calculated and compared using the two-sample t test.

Results

The experimental group showed improvement in all areas compared to the control group. Improvement in one area (comfort talking to patients about how recurring symptoms might relate to issues in their lives) reached statistical significance (P = 0.05).

Conclusions

Inner relationship focusing is a potential tool to increase self-awareness and empathic listening in medical students.

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Acknowledgments

Dr Cara Alexander had full access to all the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Statistical Analysis: This was not an industry-sponsored study.

Authors’ Contributions: Drs Alexander, Sheeler, and Rasmussen, as well as Ms Hayden, participated in the design of the study, including the content of the teaching curriculum. Drs Alexander and Sheeler and Ms Hayden did the teaching of the students. Drs Alexander, Sheeler, and Rasmussen participated in the collection, management, and analysis of the data. Drs Alexander, Sheeler, and Rasmussen participated in the interpretation of the data. Drs Alexander, Sheeler, and Rasmussen and Ms Hayden participated in the preparation, review, and approval of the manuscript.

Sponsors’ Role: There were no sponsors.

Supported in part by an institutional research grant from the Department of Family Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.

Disclosures

On behalf of all authors, the corresponding author states that there is no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA

    Cara Alexander, Robert D. Sheeler & Norman H. Rasmussen

  2. Focusing Resources, Berkeley, CA, USA

    Lucinda Hayden

Authors
  1. Cara Alexander
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  2. Robert D. Sheeler
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  3. Norman H. Rasmussen
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  4. Lucinda Hayden
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert D. Sheeler.

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Alexander, C., Sheeler, R.D., Rasmussen, N.H. et al. Teaching an Experiential Mind–Body Method to Medical Students to Increase Interpersonal Skills: A Pilot Study. Acad Psychiatry 39, 316–319 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-014-0159-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40596-014-0159-y

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