Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39121009›Full record

ArticleThe journal of ECT2025

Attitudes and Knowledge of Electroconvulsive Therapy: An Exploration of Medical Students' Perspectives.

Nicola Botham, Laura Sharp, Helena Paterson, Mia Wilson, Daniel Martin, Stephen Kelly, Daphne Varveris, Julie Langan Martin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The journal of ECT, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Nicola BothamFrom the School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Laura SharpFrom the School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Helena PatersonSchool of Psychology, College of Medical, Veterinary Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Mia WilsonFrom the School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Daniel MartinNHS Forth Valley, Stirling, United Kingdom.
Stephen KellyNHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Daphne VarverisNHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom.
Julie Langan MartinFrom the School of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom.ORCID 0000-0002-0589-3464

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsTo explore knowledge and attitudes of medical students before and after exposure to a technology-enhanced learning and teaching (TELT) session about electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

backgroundAdequate knowledge of and attitudes toward ECT is essential for medical students. However, the impact of teaching on knowledge and attitudes is infrequently studied.

methodsFourth- and fifth year medical students at the University of Glasgow were provided with an online questionnaire before and after engaging in a remote TELT session, led by a consultant psychiatrist with expertise in ECT. The online teaching session used resources developed by a multidisciplinary team who specialize in ECT. The teaching session lasted around 1 hour. The questionnaire contained 3 sections: baseline demographics, knowledge of ECT, and attitudes toward ECT. Changes in scores were analyzed.

resultsSixty-seven students completed the teaching session. Response rate to the precourse questionnaire was 68.7% (n = 46), and the postcourse questionnaire was 44.8% (n = 30). Prior to engaging with the learning materials, 9 students reported no knowledge of ECT and a third believed that ECT did not cause a seizure. In general, students who had personal experience of mental illness (friend, relative, or self) had more positive attitudes toward ECT and higher knowledge scores. In general, an increase in knowledge and attitude scores was found in the postcourse questionnaire.

conclusionsExposing medical students to a TELT session focused on ECT during their psychiatric placement appeared to improve knowledge and attitudes surrounding ECT.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelElectroconvulsive TherapyHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticeStudents, MedicalAdultFemaleHumansMaleSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung Adult

Identifiers

PMID39121009
PMCPMC11895812

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.