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Hard shell, soft core? Multi-disciplinary and multi-national insights into mental toughness among surgeons

  • Background: With the prevalence of burnout among surgeons posing a significant threat to healthcare outcomes, the mental toughness of medical professionals has come to the fore. Mental toughness is pivotal for surgical performance and patient safety, yet research into its dynamics within a global and multi-specialty context remains scarce. This study aims to elucidate the factors contributing to mental toughness among surgeons and to understand how it correlates with surgical outcomes and personal well-being. Methods: Utilizing a cross-sectional design, this study surveyed 104 surgeons from English and German-speaking countries using the Mental Toughness Questionnaire (MTQ-18) along with additional queries about their surgical practice and general life satisfaction. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were applied to investigate the variations in mental toughness across different surgical domains and its correlation with professional and personal factors. Results: The study found a statistically significant higher level of mental toughness in micro-surgeons compared to macro-surgeons and a positive correlation between mental toughness and surgeons' intent to continue their careers. A strong association was also observed between general life satisfaction and mental toughness. No significant correlations were found between the application of psychological skills and mental toughness. Conclusion: Mental toughness varies significantly among surgeons from different specialties and is influenced by professional dedication and personal life satisfaction. These findings suggest the need for targeted interventions to foster mental toughness in the surgical community, potentially enhancing surgical performance and reducing burnout. Future research should continue to explore these correlations, with an emphasis on longitudinal data and the development of resilience-building programs.

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Author:Leonard Knoedler, Jillian Dean, Samuel Knoedler, Martin Kauke-Navarro, Katharina Hollmann, Michael Alfertshofer, Sabrina Helm, Lukas Prantl, Rainer SchliermannORCiD
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3389/fsurg.2024.1361406
Parent Title (English):Frontiers in Surgery
Publisher:Frontiers
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Year of first Publication:2024
Release Date:2024/05/17
Tag:mental health; mental toughness; psychology; resilience; robustness; surgery
Volume:11
Pagenumber:7
Note:
Correspondign author der OTH Regensburg: Rainer Schliermann (und Leonard Knoedler)
Institutes:Fakultät Angewandte Sozial- und Gesundheitswissenschaften
Begutachtungsstatus:peer-reviewed
OpenAccess Publikationsweg:Gold Open Access- Erstveröffentlichung in einem/als Open-Access-Medium
Corresponding author der OTH Regensburg
research focus:Lebenswissenschaften und Ethik
Licence (German):Creative Commons - CC BY - Namensnennung 4.0 International