Role of spatial ability, motivation and anxiety in learning neuroanatomy

• Published in: Focus on health professional education Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 1 - 16
• Main Authors: Newman, Hamish, Carr, Sandra, Meyer, Amanda
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Adelaide Australian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators 01.03.2022
• Subjects: Anxiety; Attitudes; Graduate students in science; Knowledge acquisition (Expert systems); Management; Medical students; Neuroanatomy; Psychological aspects; Spatial ability in children; Technique
• ISSN: 1442-1100; 2204-7662; 2204-7662
• DOI: 10.11157/fohpe.v23i1.532

Introduction: In the last decade, medical student neuroanatomy knowledge has been below an acceptable level. Teaching interventions targeted towards factors relevant to learning neuroanatomy, such as spatial ability or motivation, may be developed to improve knowledge acquisition and long-term retention. This paper seeks to characterise the relationship between spatial ability, motivation and anxiety on learning neuroanatomy. Methods: Students (n = 131) enrolled in a neuroanatomy course (males n = 53; females n = 78; age = 22+-6 [mean +- SD] years) completed a mental rotations test (MRT), condensed Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) and Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) survey to assess spatial ability, motivation and anxiety, respectively. Spearman correlations were calculated between students' scores on these tools and examination/unit results. Results: Final unit score and perceived task value were weakly positively correlated (rs = 0.22, p = 0.016, n = 112), whereas final unit score and anxiety were weakly negatively correlated (rs = -0.22, p = 0.04, n = 82). There was a weak positive correlation between spatial ability and spatial MCQ results (rs = 0.232, p = 0.016, n = 108) but no other assessment modality. Conclusions: Targeting interventions to increase students' perceptions of the value of learning neuroanatomy and to reduce anxiety will further improve student performance in this subject. Data from this report may guide the development of personalised educational techniques with the aim of improving knowledge acquisition. Future research into devising these interventions and characterising their effect on neuroanatomy learning would be beneficial.