INFORM: A Pediatrician s Communication Curriculum About Diagnostic Conversations
in Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders
#MMPMID41341427
Lambert-Fliszar F
; Sullivan C
; Giudice C
; Person H
MedEdPORTAL
2025[]; 21
(?): 11561
PMID41341427
show ga
INTRODUCTION: Somatic symptom and related disorders (SSRDs) is an umbrella term
for physical symptoms related to or amplified by psychosocial factors. Clinicians
find difficulty in delivering SSRD diagnoses to families. Caregiver buy-in of an
SSRD diagnosis is strongly associated with better outcomes. Curricula addressing
gaps in this communication skill are lacking, indicating a need for effective
educational innovations to increase pediatricians' confidence and efficacy in
SSRD diagnostic conversations with caregivers. METHODS: A 90-minute curriculum
composed of didactic and experiential components, including role-play, was
designed using Kern's six steps to curriculum development and the INFORM
framework (Introduce, Name and Narrate, Feedback, Orient to diagnosis, Reframe,
Management principles). We evaluated and improved the curriculum over multiple
iterations using the CIPP (Context-Input-Process-Product) model, in which
acceptability and feasibility data were collected from participants via
quantitative surveys. These surveys also assessed attainment of educational
objectives. RESULTS: A total of 85 responses (of 97 total participants; 88%) were
obtained from pediatric residents, pediatric hospital medicine fellows, and
pediatric hospitalist attendings. Based on survey responses to two of three
true/false questions, participants demonstrated significantly improved knowledge
postcurriculum. The proportion of learners reporting feeling confident in SSRD
diagnostic conversations increased, from 32% before to 86% after the curriculum.
A total of 95% of respondents would recommend this curriculum to a colleague, and
98% reported they would use their skills in future clinical practice. DISCUSSION:
We created a novel, well-received SSRD diagnostic communication curriculum via an
iterative process, with demonstration of achieved educational objectives.
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