Family physicians’ diagnostic gut feelings are measurable: construct validation of a questionnaire
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Family physicians perceive that gut feelings, i.e. a ‘sense of reassurance’ or a ‘sense of alarm’, play a substantial role in diagnostic reasoning. A measuring instrument is desirable for further research. Our objective is to validat...
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doaj-91266613f3f64b628b51373d376cb4f82020-11-25T03:24:50ZengBMCBMC Family Practice1471-22962013-01-01141110.1186/1471-2296-14-1Family physicians’ diagnostic gut feelings are measurable: construct validation of a questionnaireStolper Christiaan FVan de Wiel Margje WJDe Vet Henrica CWRutten Alexander LBVan Royen PaulVan Bokhoven Marloes AVan der Weijden TrudyDinant Geert Jan<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Family physicians perceive that gut feelings, i.e. a ‘sense of reassurance’ or a ‘sense of alarm’, play a substantial role in diagnostic reasoning. A measuring instrument is desirable for further research. Our objective is to validate a questionnaire measuring the presence of gut feelings in diagnostic reasoning.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We constructed 16 case vignettes from real practice situations and used the accompanying ‘sense of reassurance’ or the ‘sense of alarm’ as reference labels. Based on the results of an initial study (26 family physicians), we divided the case vignettes into a group involving a clear role for the sense of reassurance or the sense of alarm and a group involving an ambiguous role. 49 experienced family physicians evaluated each 10 vignettes using the questionnaire. Construct validity was assessed by testing hypotheses and an internal consistency procedure was performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As hypothesized we found that the correlations between the reference labels and corresponding items were high for the clear-case vignettes (0.59 – 0.72) and low for the ambiguous-case vignettes (0.08 – 0.23). The agreement between the classification in clear sense of reassurance, clear sense of alarm and ambiguous case vignettes as derived from the initial study and the study population’s judgments was substantial (Kappa = 0.62). Factor analysis showed one factor with opposites for sense of reassurance and sense of alarm items. The questionnaire’s internal consistency was high (0.91). We provided a linguistic validated English-language text of the questionnaire.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The questionnaire appears to be valid. It enables quantitative research into the role of gut feelings and their diagnostic value in family physicians’ diagnostic reasoning.</p> http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/14/1Gut feelingsFamily medicineGeneral practitionersDiagnostic reasoningQuestionnaireConstruct validationMedical decision-makingMedical problem-solvingIntuitionClinical reasoning |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Stolper Christiaan F Van de Wiel Margje WJ De Vet Henrica CW Rutten Alexander LB Van Royen Paul Van Bokhoven Marloes A Van der Weijden Trudy Dinant Geert Jan |
spellingShingle |
Stolper Christiaan F Van de Wiel Margje WJ De Vet Henrica CW Rutten Alexander LB Van Royen Paul Van Bokhoven Marloes A Van der Weijden Trudy Dinant Geert Jan Family physicians’ diagnostic gut feelings are measurable: construct validation of a questionnaire BMC Family Practice Gut feelings Family medicine General practitioners Diagnostic reasoning Questionnaire Construct validation Medical decision-making Medical problem-solving Intuition Clinical reasoning |
author_facet |
Stolper Christiaan F Van de Wiel Margje WJ De Vet Henrica CW Rutten Alexander LB Van Royen Paul Van Bokhoven Marloes A Van der Weijden Trudy Dinant Geert Jan |
author_sort |
Stolper Christiaan F |
title |
Family physicians’ diagnostic gut feelings are measurable: construct validation of a questionnaire |
title_short |
Family physicians’ diagnostic gut feelings are measurable: construct validation of a questionnaire |
title_full |
Family physicians’ diagnostic gut feelings are measurable: construct validation of a questionnaire |
title_fullStr |
Family physicians’ diagnostic gut feelings are measurable: construct validation of a questionnaire |
title_full_unstemmed |
Family physicians’ diagnostic gut feelings are measurable: construct validation of a questionnaire |
title_sort |
family physicians’ diagnostic gut feelings are measurable: construct validation of a questionnaire |
publisher |
BMC |
series |
BMC Family Practice |
issn |
1471-2296 |
publishDate |
2013-01-01 |
description |
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Family physicians perceive that gut feelings, i.e. a ‘sense of reassurance’ or a ‘sense of alarm’, play a substantial role in diagnostic reasoning. A measuring instrument is desirable for further research. Our objective is to validate a questionnaire measuring the presence of gut feelings in diagnostic reasoning.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We constructed 16 case vignettes from real practice situations and used the accompanying ‘sense of reassurance’ or the ‘sense of alarm’ as reference labels. Based on the results of an initial study (26 family physicians), we divided the case vignettes into a group involving a clear role for the sense of reassurance or the sense of alarm and a group involving an ambiguous role. 49 experienced family physicians evaluated each 10 vignettes using the questionnaire. Construct validity was assessed by testing hypotheses and an internal consistency procedure was performed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As hypothesized we found that the correlations between the reference labels and corresponding items were high for the clear-case vignettes (0.59 – 0.72) and low for the ambiguous-case vignettes (0.08 – 0.23). The agreement between the classification in clear sense of reassurance, clear sense of alarm and ambiguous case vignettes as derived from the initial study and the study population’s judgments was substantial (Kappa = 0.62). Factor analysis showed one factor with opposites for sense of reassurance and sense of alarm items. The questionnaire’s internal consistency was high (0.91). We provided a linguistic validated English-language text of the questionnaire.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The questionnaire appears to be valid. It enables quantitative research into the role of gut feelings and their diagnostic value in family physicians’ diagnostic reasoning.</p> |
topic |
Gut feelings Family medicine General practitioners Diagnostic reasoning Questionnaire Construct validation Medical decision-making Medical problem-solving Intuition Clinical reasoning |
url |
http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2296/14/1 |
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