The Effect of Group-Dynamics, Collaboration and Tutor Style on the Perception of Professional Stereotypes: A Quasi-Experimental Pre-Post-Design on Interdisciplinary Tutorial Groups

Background: Group processes in inter-professional Problem-Based Learning (iPBL) groups have not yet been studied in health-care educational context. In this paper we present findings on how group-dynamics, collaboration and tutor style influence the perception of professional stereotypes of students collaborating in iPBL groups. Health-care students are trained in iPBL groups to increase their ability for collaboration between healthcare professionals. Previous research focusing iPBL in healthcare, infers that more systematic studies are desired, especially concerning interaction between group processes, and internalized professional stereotypes. The aim of this study is to investigate if changes in group processes, collaboration and if tutor style, influence the perception of professional stereotypes of physician- and nurse-students. Methods: The study is a quasi-experimental pre- post-design. The participants included 30 students from five different healthcare professions, mainly medicine and nursing. Other professions were physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. The students were divided into four iPBL groups, each consisting of six to nine students and a tutor. Data were collected through systematic observation using four video-recorded tutorials. SPGR (Systematizing the Person Group Relation), a computer-supported method for direct and structured observation of behavior, were used to collect and analyze data. Results: Traditional stereotypical professional behaviors were identified in the first observed group meeting. Although the groups followed different paths of development, the group-dynamics changed in all groups over the six weeks of collaboration. Two of the groups became more cohesive, one more fragmented and one more polarized. Stereotypical behaviors became less frequent in all groups. Our findings indicate that tutor behavior has a strong influence on the development of the group’s dynamics. Conclusion: Our findings strongly suggest iPBL is a mean to reduce stereotypical behaviors, that may positively increase member’s ability for inter-professional collaboration. Although the pattern of dynamics took different forms in different groups, we argue that iPBL forces students to see the colleague behind his or her profession, thus breaking professional boundaries. The tutor style significantly influenced the IPBL groups development. This study contributes to our field by emphasizing the effect of group-processes to increase mutual understanding across professions.