%0 Journal Article
%T Using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire to teach medical students developmental assessment: a descriptive analysis
%A Pam Nicol
%J BMC Medical Education
%D 2006
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1472-6920-6-29
%X To evaluate the program, an interpretative analysis was completed on the students' reports written during the program and a questionnaire was administered to the parents to gain their perception of the experience. As well, student confidence levels in assessing growth and development were measured at the end of the paediatric term.Although there was an increase in student confidence in developmental assessment at the end of the term, it was not statistically significant. However the findings indicated that students gained increased understanding of the process and enhanced recognition of the parental role, and the study suggested there was increased confidence in some students. Parents indicated that they thought they should be involved in the teaching of students.The ASQ was shown to have been useful in an education program at the level of advanced beginners in developmental assessment.Developmental assessment is a core learning outcome for paediatric and child health students, so when a survey of medical graduates' skills identified a lack of confidence in this area, a program was developed with the aims of increasing both confidence and respect for the parental role. This study evaluates that program.Paediatric and child health practitioners advocate a family-centred care model that requires practitioners to have good interpersonal skills, to have respect for parental judgement and to be flexible in their role [1]. As well, collaborative patient-centred practice is emerging as a framework for interdisciplinary education [2]. For these frameworks to be successful, interpersonal competence, which includes an appreciation of the skill and uniqueness of all individuals involved, is required [3]. The development of these attitudinal and communication attributes in health care practitioners is one of the challenges for health educators interested in family-centred practice.Medical student attitudes are important because they are viewed as a mediating link between clini
%U http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6920/6/29