title: Assessment of a measure of relational communication for doctor-patient interactions.
abstract: This research analyzes the psychometric properties of a 34-item doctor-patient relational communication scale adapted from its survey research form [Commun Monogr 1987;54:307] for use as an observational instrument to rate doctor-patient interaction. Relational communication determines the affective "tone" of interpersonal communication, and is handled mostly through nonverbal channels. Relational communication provides the framework in which the content of a doctor-patient exchange, such as symptom reports by the patient, is interpreted and acted upon. The relational communication scale was adapted for use by three trained observers each of whom rated 20 videotaped interactions between medical students and standardized patients. Results indicate fair to excellent internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, inter-rater agreement, and construct validity for four of the six relational communication subscales. The scale is practical to administer and would lend itself for use in formative evaluation of medical student and physician communication skills.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Kent State University, OH 44242, USA. tgallagh@kent.edu
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Hartung
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Gregory
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D003142:Communication; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009511:New England; D009633:Nonverbal Communication / Q000523:psychology*; D015588:Observer Variation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011594:Psychometrics; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D014743:Videotape Recording / Q000592:standards*