Adolescents' misinterpretation of health risk probability expressions.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if differences exist between adolescents and physicians in their numerical translation of 13 commonly used probability expressions (eg, possibly, might).


METHODS
Cross-sectional.


METHODS
Adolescent medicine and pediatric orthopedic outpatient units.


METHODS
150 adolescents and 51 pediatricians, pediatric orthopedic surgeons, and nurses.


METHODS
Numerical ratings of the degree of certainty implied by 13 probability expressions (eg, possibly, probably).


RESULTS
Adolescents were significantly more likely than physicians to display comprehension errors, reversing or equating the meaning of terms such as probably/possibly and likely/possibly. Numerical expressions of uncertainty (eg, 30% chance) elicited less variability in ratings than lexical expressions of uncertainty (eg, possibly).


CONCLUSIONS
Physicians should avoid using probability expressions such as probably, possibly, and likely when communicating health risks to children and adolescents. Numerical expressions of uncertainty may be more effective for conveying the likelihood of an illness than lexical expressions of uncertainty (eg, probably).
Cohn
L D
LD
Dept of Psychology, University of Texas at El Paso 79968, USA.
Schydlower
M
M
Foley
J
J
Copeland
R L
RL
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D003142:Communication; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010372:Pediatrics; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011336:Probability; D012309:Risk-Taking