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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

EV1085

A structured habit-based study method using repetition, ritualization, and reminder cues to increase engagement in psychiatry board examination preparation: a Brazilian educational experience

STRUCTURED HABIT-BASED STUDY METHOD USING REPETITION, RITUALIZATION AND REMINDER CUES TO IMPROVE ENGAGEMENT IN PSYCHIATRY BOARD EXAMINATION PREPARATION: A BRAZILIAN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE

A phased study protocol based on daily repetition, a fixed routine, and environmental reminders increased adherence to studying and reduced avoidance behaviors among physicians preparing for the examination.

The aim of the study was to describe the implementation and observed effects of a structured habit-based study method grounded in repetition, ritualization, and environmental reminder cues within a Brazilian psychiatry board examination preparation program. A phased study protocol was implemented for physicians preparing for the examination; participants prioritized daily consistency over study duration, beginning six months before the examination with a single fixed 30-minute session each day, gradually increasing the duration to 45 and then 60 minutes, and subsequently expanding to multiple self-initiated study blocks. The program comprised five phases: habit formation (weeks 0–6, 30 minutes), routine consolidation (weeks 6–12, 45 minutes), gradual workload increase (weeks 12–20, 60 minutes), expansion and autonomy (weeks 20–24, more than 60 minutes, multiple blocks), and maintenance and performance from week 24 until the examination (flexible and strategic). The intervention incorporated behavioral activation, implementation intentions (fixed time and context), and cue-dependent learning through stable routines and environmental anchoring; participants were instructed to maintain the ritual regardless of perceived productivity or ideal study conditions. In informal feedback, participants reported increased adherence to the study schedule, reduced avoidance behaviors and procrastination, greater tolerance for initiating study sessions, and increased familiarity with psychiatric content; no quantitative measurements or statistical comparisons were presented. The phased structure was described as reducing performance anxiety and supporting automatic engagement in study activities, consistent with the mechanisms of distributed practice and habit formation. In conclusion, this model based on daily repetition and environmental cues may increase engagement in postgraduate psychiatry education; behavioral consistency appears to be more decisive than immediate performance quality during the early stages of learning, and the method is presented as a feasible and scalable strategy for resource-limited educational settings.

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