title: A qualitative study of stress and coping responses in doctors breaking bad news.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Breaking bad news (BBN) is a significant source of stress for doctors. In this study we qualitatively explored doctors' perceptions of their BBN experiences, to identify the range of appraisal and coping processes associated with this task.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 junior and senior doctors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Doctors recalled physical and emotional stress symptoms during the BBN task, although they tended not to describe it as a 'stressful' experience. Senior doctors appeared to engage in more problem-focused and meaning-focused coping strategies than junior doctors, and this may have been due to their greater experience and control over patient selection and work structures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides insight into the range of different coping responses experienced by doctors in relation to the task of breaking bad medical news.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results reinforce and refine the imperative for further training to address the impact of BBN from the doctor's perspective if performance of this critical task is to be improved.
authors.affiliation: Sydney Medical School, University Of Sydney, Sydney, Australia. joanne.shaw@sydney.edu.au
authors.forename: Joanne M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Rhonda F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Stewart M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Dunn
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014342:Truth Disclosure