FRAMED: a framework facilitating insight problem solving

Diagnosis (Berl). 2024 Feb 23. doi: 10.1515/dx-2023-0152. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Insight has been studied as an element of problem solving in the field of cognitive psychology and may play an important role in clinical reasoning. We propose a new strategy based on theories that promote insight that may help generate further diagnostic hypotheses by reviewing the interpretation of a case and an individual's list of differential diagnoses from multiple perspectives: formation (F), re-encoding (R), analogy (A), modification (M), elaboration (E), and deliberation (D) (FRAMED). The FRAMED strategy may help clinicians overcome misinterpretations and cognitive bias by systematically reflecting on previous clinical reasoning processes from multiple perspectives.

Keywords: clinical reasoning; cognitive process; diagnostic excellence; diagnostic strategy; insight; insight problem solving.