Effects of an examiner’s positive and negative feedback on self-assessment of skill performance, emotional response, and self-efficacy in Korea: a quasi-experimental study

BACKGROUND: Feedback is an essential element in performance training. However, little effort has been made to measure the effects of positive and negative feedback on the ability of self-rated assessment, affective responses, and motivation to learn in healthcare education. METHODS: This study was a quasi-experimental posttest design to examine the effects of an examiner's positive and negative verbal feedback on the accuracy of self-assessment, emotional responses, and self-efficacy. Second-year nursing students were recruited in a university in South Korea. A total of 110 participants were assigned randomly to a positive feedback (PF) group (n = 58) and a negative feedback (NF) group (n = 52). All participants completed the performance measure and then received a positive or negative feedback from an evaluator. After delivery of feedback, they assessed their own performance using the same sheet as the evaluator's and completed the survey for emotional response and self-efficacy. Chi-squared tests, Fisher's exact tests, independent sample Student's t tests, and Mann-Whitney nonparametric U tests, and Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) were used to compare the baseline measurements of the demographic characteristics and the dependent variables between the PF and NF groups. RESULTS: The NF group demonstrated a more accurate self-rated assessment than the PF group (p < 0.001). While self-efficacy (p < 0.001) and positive emotions (p < 0.001) were significantly stronger in the PF group than in the NF group, negative emotions were significantly stronger in the NF group than in the PF group (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Evaluator's verbal feedback exerts a significant influence on the accuracy of self-assessment as well as emotions and self-efficacy. Instructors should pay attention to providing feedback to students, taking into account the impact of positive or negative feedback.