Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41184853›Full record

SynthesisBMC medical education2025

Balint groups for improving the ability of doctors and medical students to manage the doctor-patient relationship: a systematic review, quantitative meta-analysis and qualitative meta-synthesis of intervention studies.

Luxinyi Xu, Xiaomei Cui, Yu Wang, Chuanchuan He, Lijun Dong, Dongmei Li, Yinglong Li, Yuan Yao, Liqin Shan, Zhengfen Xu

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC medical education, 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. Teaching empathy in Balint groups.The Libyan journal of medicine · 2026
    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

10 authors.

Luxinyi Xu *Jiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jiaxing Women and Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China.
Xiaomei Cui *Jiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jiaxing Women and Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China.
Yu WangJiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jiaxing Women and Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China.
Chuanchuan HeJiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jiaxing Women and Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China.
Lijun DongJiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jiaxing Women and Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China.
Dongmei LiJiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jiaxing Women and Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China.
Yinglong LiJiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jiaxing Women and Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China.
Yuan YaoJiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jiaxing Women and Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China.
Liqin ShanJiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jiaxing Women and Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China. Shan_lq@126.com.
Zhengfen XuJiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Jiaxing Women and Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, China. xuzhengfen@zjxu.edu.cn.

Funding

Zhejiang Medical and Health Technology Program 2025KY1621
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveBalint groups are a crucial method for improving the relationship between medical students/doctors and patients. Nevertheless, no review has examined the effects of Balint groups in this regard. This study aimed to conduct quantitative meta-analyses and qualitative meta-syntheses based on a systematic review to provide references for improving doctor‒patient relationships.

methodsWe searched six databases from inception through October 2024. Two reviewers independently conducted screening and quality assessment. Quantitative data were analyzed using meta-analysis methods with standard mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) in RevMan 5.4.1, while qualitative results were summarized using meta-synthesis methods.

resultsA total of 56 studies were included, including 45 quantitative studies and 11 qualitative studies. Two, fifty-one, and three studies were rated as having a low risk of bias, unclear risk or some concerns, and high risk of bias, respectively. Thirteen quantitative studies were included in the meta-analyses. Compared with those in the control group, participants in the Balint group had higher communication scores and empathy scores and lower anxiety scores (SMD = 1.26, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.56, I

conclusionBalint groups may contribute to improving doctor‒patient relationships. We suggest caution and advocate for multicenter large-sample randomized controlled trials with low risk-of-bias design to avoid evidence bias.

Indexed as

Physician-Patient RelationsPhysiciansStudents, MedicalCommunicationEmpathyHumansQualitative ResearchBalint groupsDoctor–patient relationshipMeta-analysisMeta-synthesisSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID41184853
PMCPMC12581237

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.