The use of concept maps in the therapeutic patient education field: preliminary study with an analysis of the litterature

Introduction: The concept map (CM) is a teaching technique that aids learning and its assessment Originally used in general education, it was introduced in therapeutic patient education (TPE) in 2004. Aims: To describe and analyse the use of concept mapping in TPE ten years after its introduction. Methods: Analysis of the literature from 2004 to 2014 using the following databases and search engines: ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, PubMed, EM-Premium, PsycINFO, OpenGrey, Sudoc, ERIC and JSTOR. Results: Twenty-seven documents were analyzed. Twenty-one of these reported studies or practical experiences in France. The maps were used in TPE for different groups having a variety of conditions, mainly for the purpose of diagnostic and training assessments (23/27), and less commonly as a learning aid (4/27). Several methods for use were identified: construction by the patient, by the educator, as a group or individually. The authors described the benefits of each method. The effects and educational potential of concept mapping were discussed. Conclusion: Despite the limited number of publications, this literature analysis confirms the value of concept maps in TPE. However, their use, which is still limited, will depend on whether caregiver-educators see a place for them and are trained to use them.