Presenter Status
Resident/Psychology Intern
Abstract Type
Clinical Research
Primary Mentor or Principal Investigator
Gillian Long
Presentation Type
Poster
Start Date
21-5-2026 11:00 AM
End Date
21-5-2026 12:00 PM
Abstract Text
Background: Physician burnout is an epidemic in today’s world with more than half of pediatric residents meeting the criteria. These feelings start during residency training, with long work hours and limited autonomy. These thoughts can present themselves as cognitive distortions, or automatic, irrational thought patterns that alter our perception. Eventually, these thoughts become ingrained in our subconscious, perpetuating negative emotions and exacerbating stress. However, most residents are unaware of the impact cognitive distortions have on their overall wellness and burnout. There is an opportunity to improve the wellness of pediatric residents by educating them on cognitive distortions and introducing them to evidence-based techniques to work through those thoughts.
Objectives/Goal: The primary goal of this study is to determine if pediatric residents can be taught to self-identify cognitive distortions, to utilize cognitive behavioral techniques to work through those distortions, and if by doing so they have improved feelings of well-being.
Methods/Design: This prospective pre- and post-cohort study is designed to follow Pediatric Residents at a single institution as they go through a workshop series on cognitive distortions. All data was collected via anonymous survey. Initial data gauged the residents’ familiarity with cognitive distortions and how those distortions impacted their wellness and burnout levels. At that time, the residents were given a lecture on burnout and cognitive distortions. Over a period of 1-4 months, residents attended an interactive workshop collected mid-point data and outlined cognitive behavioral techniques that can be used to work through distortions when they occur. Once all the workshops are completed, a final anonymous survey was sent to identify whether residents feel confident utilizing these techniques and whether this impacts their level of burnout.
Results: 29 responses to the initial survey were collected. Of these, 45% had never heard the term “cognitive distortion.” When asked how frequently do you experience cognitive distortions, 62% were unsure. Burnout was reported to have a minor (45%) or moderate (41%) impact on overall well-being.
A mid-point survey had been collected at the time of submission. A combined 51% either knew a little or a fair amount about distortions, with 40% reporting that distortions occurred a moderate amount. When asked about the ability to stop cognitive distortions, 25% rated themselves as below average and 55% rated themselves as average. Ultimately, 63% reported a moderate impact of cognitive distortions on their personal burnout, while 52% rated burnout as a moderate impact on their overall well-being.
Final data collection is currently ongoing.
Conclusions: Preliminary results suggest the workshops provided effective education about cognitive distortions and that residents felt more confident in self-identifying cognitive distortions. Final survey data will determine whether the cognitive behavioral techniques increased residents’ confidence in managing their distortions. Burnout remains a moderate factor on overall well-being, though this is likely to be impacted by forces outside the scope of the study. Even if burnout is not drastically affected by this series, the education on cognitive distortions may represent a valuable wellness intervention for residents.
Reframing the Resident Mindset
Background: Physician burnout is an epidemic in today’s world with more than half of pediatric residents meeting the criteria. These feelings start during residency training, with long work hours and limited autonomy. These thoughts can present themselves as cognitive distortions, or automatic, irrational thought patterns that alter our perception. Eventually, these thoughts become ingrained in our subconscious, perpetuating negative emotions and exacerbating stress. However, most residents are unaware of the impact cognitive distortions have on their overall wellness and burnout. There is an opportunity to improve the wellness of pediatric residents by educating them on cognitive distortions and introducing them to evidence-based techniques to work through those thoughts.
Objectives/Goal: The primary goal of this study is to determine if pediatric residents can be taught to self-identify cognitive distortions, to utilize cognitive behavioral techniques to work through those distortions, and if by doing so they have improved feelings of well-being.
Methods/Design: This prospective pre- and post-cohort study is designed to follow Pediatric Residents at a single institution as they go through a workshop series on cognitive distortions. All data was collected via anonymous survey. Initial data gauged the residents’ familiarity with cognitive distortions and how those distortions impacted their wellness and burnout levels. At that time, the residents were given a lecture on burnout and cognitive distortions. Over a period of 1-4 months, residents attended an interactive workshop collected mid-point data and outlined cognitive behavioral techniques that can be used to work through distortions when they occur. Once all the workshops are completed, a final anonymous survey was sent to identify whether residents feel confident utilizing these techniques and whether this impacts their level of burnout.
Results: 29 responses to the initial survey were collected. Of these, 45% had never heard the term “cognitive distortion.” When asked how frequently do you experience cognitive distortions, 62% were unsure. Burnout was reported to have a minor (45%) or moderate (41%) impact on overall well-being.
A mid-point survey had been collected at the time of submission. A combined 51% either knew a little or a fair amount about distortions, with 40% reporting that distortions occurred a moderate amount. When asked about the ability to stop cognitive distortions, 25% rated themselves as below average and 55% rated themselves as average. Ultimately, 63% reported a moderate impact of cognitive distortions on their personal burnout, while 52% rated burnout as a moderate impact on their overall well-being.
Final data collection is currently ongoing.
Conclusions: Preliminary results suggest the workshops provided effective education about cognitive distortions and that residents felt more confident in self-identifying cognitive distortions. Final survey data will determine whether the cognitive behavioral techniques increased residents’ confidence in managing their distortions. Burnout remains a moderate factor on overall well-being, though this is likely to be impacted by forces outside the scope of the study. Even if burnout is not drastically affected by this series, the education on cognitive distortions may represent a valuable wellness intervention for residents.
Comments
Poster Board Number: 13