(58) Evaluation of the DiSC® Assessment Tool in a First-Year Pharmacy Healthcare Communication Course

Objective : To identify Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) student perceptions and expectations of the DiSC (dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness) assessment and determine correlation between DiSC natural and adapted traits. Pre-assessment hypothesis assumed significant correlation between DiSC-natural and -adapted results.

Methods: First-year students in a required healthcare communications course completed a survey before and after taking a DiSC assessment seminar. The seminar encompassed an untimed DiSC assessment, receipt of personal results, and a trainer-led follow-up session. Survey questions focused on DiSC perceptions, familiarity, usefulness, impact, and value. Pre-post data were evaluated with paired T-tests, and Spearman’s Rho was used for correlations (Microsoft Excel v.16.70).

Results: Thirty students completed a paired survey and reported DiSC results. Participants demonstrated statistically significant improvement in agreement in enjoyment, familiarity, self-understanding, self-behavior, and peer-assessment (p <.05) in the pre-post DiSC survey. In the natural environment, participants were most likely to exhibit conscientious and influence traits (n=14 and n=8, respectively), but in the adapted environment were most likely to exhibit steadiness and influence traits (n=10 and n=8, respectively). Significant correlation was observed between the dominance, influence, and conscientiousness adapted and natural traits (rs=0.5, p=.004; rs=0.79, p<.001; and rs=0.52, p=.003, respectively).

Conclusions: The DiSC seminar resulted in improved student perception of DiSC use, purpose, and self-impact. PharmD students were most likely to exhibit conscientiousness, steadiness, and influence as predominant traits; dominance, influence, and conscientiousness were significantly correlated between natural and adapted environments.