Negative stress-coping strategies among novices in surgery correlate with poor virtual laparoscopic performance

Background: This study explored the impact of habitual stress-coping strategies on the laparoscopic performance of novices in surgery using a virtual reality simulator. Methods: The SVF78 stress-coping questionnaire was administered to 12 medical students in their final year of medical school (camera holders) and to 12 inexperienced surgical residents (postgraduate years 1-3). The questionnaire included devaluation during stressful situations, distractions from stressful situations, control over stressful reactions and negative coping strategies such as stress avoidance and need for social support. Assessment of laparoscopic dexterity was based on the results of performance on a virtual reality simulator. The variables of time taken to complete the task, errors and economy of motion were analysed, with a higher score indicating poor performance. Pearson and non-parametric Spearman correlations were used to compare the subjects' results on the SVF78 with those on the LapSim(R). Results: Time taken to complete the task correlated with high values in distractive stress-coping strategies (P = 0.002) and high values in negative stress-coping strategies (P = 0.042). Conclusion: Ineffective stress-coping strategies correlate with poor virtual laparoscopic performance. The need for effective intraoperative stress-coping strategies is evident.