Emotion language in primary care encounters: reliability and validity of an emotion word count coding system.
OBJECTIVE
To develop a reliable and valid computer coded measure to assess emotional expression from transcripts of physician-patient interactions.


METHODS
Physician encounters with two standardized patients (SPs) were audiotaped. Fifty patients from each physician (n = 100 primary care physicians) completed surveys that assessed patients' perceptions of their relationships with physicians. Audio-recordings of 193 patient-physician encounters were transcribed and computer-coded to derive a percent emotion words, and research assistants completed the Measure of Patient-Centered Communication (MPCC).


RESULTS
After adjustment for potential confounders, regression analyses revealed physicians' use of emotion words and the MPCC contribute independently to patients' and SPs' perceptions of their relationship with physicians.


CONCLUSIONS
The computerized coding of emotion words shows promise as a reliable, valid, and simple method to code transcript data of physician-patient interactions. This method may be expanded to examine other aspects of physician language and does not require coder training.
Shields
Cleveland G
CG
Department of Family Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester Center to Improve Communication in Health Care, 1381 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620-2830, USA. Cleveland_Shields@URMC.Rochester.edu
Epstein
Ronald M
RM
Franks
Peter
P
Fiscella
Kevin
K
Duberstein
Paul
P
McDaniel
Susan H
SH
Meldrum
Sean
S
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003142:Communication; D015986:Confounding Factors, Epidemiologic; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004644:Emotions; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016544:Patient Simulation; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012660:Semantics; D012944:Social Support; D012984:Software / Q000592:standards*; D013637:Tape Recording; D035502:Trust; D014705:Verbal Behavior; D018875:Vocabulary, Controlled