The expression of emotion through nonverbal behavior in medical visits. Mechanisms and outcomes.
Relationship-centered care reflects both knowing and feeling: the knowledge that physician and patient bring from their respective domains of expertise, and the physician's and patient's experience, expression, and perception of emotions during the medical encounter. These processes are conveyed and reciprocated in the care process through verbal and nonverbal communication. We suggest that the emotional context of care is especially related to nonverbal communication and that emotion-related communication skills, including sending and receiving nonverbal messages and emotional self-awareness, are critical elements of high-quality care. Although nonverbal behavior has received far less study than other care processes, the current review argues that it holds significance for the therapeutic relationship and influences important outcomes including satisfaction, adherence, and clinical outcomes of care.
Roter
Debra L
DL
Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. droter@jhsph.edu
Frankel
Richard M
RM
Hall
Judith A
JA
Sluyter
David
D
D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009633:Nonverbal Communication / Q000523:psychology*; D009819:Office Visits; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018802:Patient-Centered Care; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D016896:Treatment Outcome