Effectiveness of Communication Skills Training for Dental Students

1984 ◽  
Vol 55 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guusje Ter Horst ◽  
Jeffrey G. Leeds ◽  
Johan Hoogstraten

A three-day communication-skills training was given to first-year dental students. The remaining first-year students were exempted from instruction and acted as a control group. To assess the effect of the short-term training a videotape of 28 fragments was shown shortly after the training course. Each fragment represented a dentist-patient interaction and ended with a statement by the patient. Per fragment the students were allowed 40 sec. to write down their reactions assuming they were in the position of the dentist. The written responses of a part of the students were scored by a category system. Students who attended the communication-skills training significantly more often explored and recapitulated patients' statements than students who did not participate in the training, but there are reasons to doubt the validity of these findings.

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (20) ◽  
pp. 2166-2172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maiko Fujimori ◽  
Yuki Shirai ◽  
Mariko Asai ◽  
Kaoru Kubota ◽  
Noriyuki Katsumata ◽  
...  

Purpose The aim of this study was to identify the effects of a communication skills training (CST) program for oncologists, developed based on patient preferences regarding oncologists' communication. Participants and Methods Thirty oncologists were randomly assigned to either an intervention group (IG; 2-day CST workshop) or control group (CG). Participants were assessed on their communication performance during simulated consultation and their confidence in communicating with patients at baseline and follow-up. A total of 1,192 patients (response rate, 84.6%) who had consultations with the participating oncologists at baseline and/or follow-up were assessed regarding their distress using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, satisfaction with the consultation, and trust in their oncologist after the consultation. Results At the follow-up survey, the performance scores of the IG had improved significantly, in terms of their emotional support (P = .011), setting up a supportive environment (P = .002), and ability to deliver information (P = .001), compared with those of the CG. Oncologists in the IG were rated higher at follow-up than those in the CG in terms of their confidence in themselves (P = .001). Patients who met with oncologists after they had undergone the CST were significantly less depressed than those who met with oncologists in the CG (P = .027). However, the CST program did not affect patient satisfaction with oncologists' style of communication. Conclusion A CST program based on patient preferences is effective for both oncologists and patients with cancer. Oncologists should consider CST as an approach to enhancing their communication skills.


2002 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 765-769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valerie Jenkins ◽  
Lesley Fallowfield

PURPOSE: To measure the psychosocial attitudes and beliefs of physicians working within oncology in the United Kingdom and to examine whether beliefs alter after communication skills training. Additionally, to investigate whether physicians’ attitudes are reflected in communication behaviors with patients during interviews. METHODS: Ninety-three physicians completed a 32-item Physician Psychosocial Belief (PPSB) questionnaire at baseline (T1) before randomization to attendance at a 3-day residential communication skills course (n = 48) or a control group (n = 45). Three months later (T2), both groups completed another PPSB and a self-assessment questionnaire recording perceived changes in communication with patients. At both time points, physicians’ consultations with two consenting patients were videotaped. Communication behaviors were measured using the Medical Interaction Processing System. RESULTS: Physicians who attended the course showed significantly improved attitudes and beliefs toward psychosocial issues compared with controls (P = .002). This improvement was reflected in the analysis of the videotaped recordings of their communication behaviors with patients. Expressions of empathy were more likely for the course group at T2 than the controls (P = .02), as were open questions (P = .001), appropriate responses to patient cues (P = .005), and psychosocial probing (P = .041). These objective findings were supported by physicians’ self report of changes in communication style during interviews with patients. CONCLUSION: Our results show that a communication skills training intervention using behavioral, cognitive, and affective components not only increases potentially beneficial and more effective interviewing styles but can also alter attitudes and beliefs, thus increasing the likelihood that such skills will be used in the clinical setting.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-3
Author(s):  
Azra Ghaffari ◽  
Ayda Feizollahe Vahid

Background: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of sexual skills training and communication skills training on the sexual attitudes of married women. The statistical population of the present study consisted of all married women aged 18 to 45 years old in Tabriz in 2014. Methods: The quasi-experimental research design consisted of three groups (pre-test and post-test) using a comparative method. Individuals were randomly placed into three groups with 15 individuals each: a sexual skills training group, a communication skills training group and a control group. All individuals were tested before starting the training sessions. The two experimental groups received educational interventions consisting of eight sessions of 60 to 90 minutes, while the control group did not receive any training. Following the training sessions, all groups completed a post-test. The Sexual Knowledge and Attitudes Scale (SKAS) was used to collect the data; covariance analysis (ANCOVA) was used to analyze the results. Results: Based on the analysis, the results of a consequential least significant difference (LSD) test indicated a significant difference between the communication skills training method and the sexual skills training method in their roles in affecting women’s sexual attitudes positively. The P value for the communication skills group was 0.014 and 0.914 for the sexual skills group, indicating the communication skills training method was more effective. Differences are considered statistically significant at P>0.05. Conclusions: Communication skills training can have a positive impact on sexual attitudes and may be a preferred training option to reduce couples’ sexual problems.


2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Britt-Maj Wikström ◽  
Gunilla Svidén

This study is an attempt to investigate by means of a curriculum how nurses are trained theoretically and practically throughout their specialist education to communicate competently and professionally in interaction with colleagues and patients. Research today shows that there are many different approaches to develop professionally skilled communication in nurse-patient interaction. It indicates that this aspect of nurse education is regarded as an important feature by educators. It is therefore of interest to study, by means of analysing a curriculum, how nurses’ communicative competence is developed. To this purpose a curriculum was presented related to nursing communication skills training, selected from a University College of Health Care Sciences in Sweden. Both students and teachers need clearly defined curricula to structure their studies and to evaluate communication skills. The investigated curriculum could be further developed to direct students and teachers in effective communication skills. It is of importance to have a curriculum that could be interpreted in the same way by teachers and students.


2007 ◽  
Vol 71 (9) ◽  
pp. 1203-1209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabrielle F. Cannick ◽  
Alice M. Horowitz ◽  
David R. Garr ◽  
Susan G. Reed ◽  
Brad W. Neville ◽  
...  

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. e023666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustapha Alhassan

IntroductionEmpathy is crucial to the fundamental aim and achievement of nursing and midwifery goals. Researchers agree on the positive role empathy plays in interpersonal relationships when providing healthcare. Models of good communication have been developed to assist nurses, midwives and doctors to improve their ability to communicate with patients. This study investigated the effect of a 2-day communication skills training (CST) on nursing and midwifery students’ empathy in a randomised controlled trial.MethodsThe two groups had a baseline data collection at the same time. The intervention group had a CST, followed by post-test on day 3. The control group had post-test on day 4 just before their CST. The empathy outcome was measured with Jefferson Scales of Empathy-Health Professions Student version. Both groups had a follow-up test at the same time 6 months after the CST.ResultsIn this study, there was no statistically significant difference in the scores of empathy between the groups F(1, 171)=0.18, p=0.675. The intervention group had baseline T1 (M=109.8, SD=9.8, d=0.160), and post-test T2 (M=111.9, SD=9.0, d=0.201), whereas the control group had baseline T1 (M=107.9, SD=11.46, d=0.160), and post-test T2 (M=110.0, SD=11.0, d=0.201). Baseline data were collected on 15 June 2013.ConclusionsThis study has shown that empathy may not be enhanced within a short period after CST.


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