Exploring the relationship between personality and choice of treatment modality amongst practising osteopaths – a questionnaire study

Item

Title
Exploring the relationship between personality and choice of treatment modality amongst practising osteopaths – a questionnaire study
Author(s)
Beeton, A
Abstract
Background Personalities of medical professionals have been widely researched in order to help understand and predict behaviour, such as specialism choice, performance and propensity for burn out. Research into the influence of personality within osteopathy is in its infancy. Lessons can be learned from the medical research characterised by methodological variety and very little application of findings. ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between personality Traits of osteopaths and preferred Treatment modality and to consider the applications of predictability from Trait to Treatment approach. Methodology Literature search: March 7 – December 9 2013 PubMed, Swetswise, SciVerse Science Direct, Google, Google Scholar and the Journal of Psychological Typing were searched using key words; Personality, personality typing/type, personality test, personality trait, psychometric, Myers Briggs. Boolean logic additions targeted specialist areas. Data gathering Two questionnaires; one Trait assessment (20 item IPIP NEO PI-R) and one survey, gathering Treatment modality and demographic data, were sent to a GOsC database of 2,016 U.K. registered osteopaths via an email invitation. Reponses to each questionnaire were anonymously linked via a unique code. Participants 276 (14%) of the email recipients. Data organisation Treatment modality preferences were coded as Structural, Functional or Mixed modality which defined Type of osteopath (IV) and represented unmatched groups of participants. Design Comparisons of unmatched groups using the Mann- Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests investigated the effects of Type of osteopath (IV) upon Trait scores (DV) and the effects of possible confounding variables; Age, Gender, Time in Practise and Training Institution (IV) upon Trait scores (DV). Main outcome measures For each participant: 1) Mean scores of 5 personality dimensions according to the Five Factor Model of personality.2) Treatment modality preferences and demographic information. Results Significant differences in Agreeableness scores were found between Structural and Mixed osteopaths. The most distinct difference was between Male Structural and Female Mixed practitioners, suggesting that gender may be a contributing factor in the strength of these Trait differences. Limitations *Trait assessment provides a static appraisal of personality. It does not reflect dynamic influences of external variables upon personality, the finer distinction of component facets and therefore may not reflect the reality of Trait expression in behaviour. * The 20 item version may lack the accuracy of the 60, 180 or 240 item instruments..*The 276 respondents provided inadequate numbers for valid statistical comparisons when IV combinations formed smaller sample sizes. Discussion and Conclusion The individual, clinical, institutional and rofession-wide implications of this research, suggesting a relationship between Trait and Treatment modality preferences, warrants further investigation. There is strong evidence in the Trait literature to support predictability from Trait to behaviour, including learning styles. As such, potential applications of Trait may be to optimise personality-targeted teaching in order to enhance clinical communication skills, a patient-centred approach, technical competence and versatility amongst students and practitioners, in order to improve treatment suitability, clinical outcome, patient benefit and satisfaction. A longitudinal investigation, combining the strengths of recent osteopathic studies in sample size, gender balance, facet analysis and qualitative data concerning clinical perception is recommended, to investigate relationships between Trait, facet, perception of practice, Treatment modality and clinical approach.
presented at
European School of Osteopathy
Date Accepted
2014
Date Submitted
20.1.2015 16:43:39
Type
osteo_thesis
Language
English
Submitted by:
62
Pub-Identifier
15483
Inst-Identifier
1229
Keywords
NEO, Traits, Personality type.
Recommended
0
Item sets
Thesis

Beeton, A, “Exploring the relationship between personality and choice of treatment modality amongst practising osteopaths – a questionnaire study”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 17, 2024, https://www.osteopathicresearch.com/s/orw/item/681