Background: Anxiety, particularly performance anxiety (PA), is prevalent in surgery, affecting both novice and experienced surgeons. This anxiety, rooted in the fear of making errors, can lead to stress and impact performance. Stress, common in surgery, has adverse effects on professional well-being, potentially leading to errors and burnout. While surgical education is evolving to address cognitive and behavioral skills.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Saudi Arabia, including surgical specialty doctors (residents, registrars, and consultants) to determine the prevalence, nature, and potential effects of PA on the well-being of surgeons. Data were collected via an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (Ver. 29).
Results: Our study included 153 surgeons, primarily aged 24-30, with most being married residents in various surgical subspecialties. The majority (52.3%) experienced moderate surgical performance anxiety (SPA), while around 29% had high anxiety levels. Mental well-being varied, with 48.3% showing low well-being, 32.6% moderate, and 17.1% high. Factors such as age, gender, and region influenced anxiety and perfectionism scores, but mental well-being was mainly influenced by the region. Notably, the linear regression model shows that high general anxiety, multidimensional perfectionism, and surgical perfectionism (SP) were significant predictors of SPA, while better mental well-being was associated with lower anxiety levels.
Conclusion: The present study reveals high SPA among Saudi Arabian surgeons, linked to mental well-being. Age and gender have minimal predictive value, but region, professional position, and SP significantly impact anxiety.
Key words: Performance Anxiety, Surgeons, Stress, Mental Well-being, Surgical Performance, Surgical Perfectionism
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