title: Priorities in the communication needs of adolescents with psychosocial problems and their parents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In patient-centred care, professionals should recognize their patient's needs and adapt their communication accordingly. Studies into patients' communication needs suggest priorities vary depending on sociodemographic characteristics, and type and severity of the complaints. However, evidence lacks on priorities in the communication needs of adolescents in psychosocial care and their parents.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess adolescents' and parents' importance ratings concerning affective communication, information provision, shared decision-making, interprofessional communication and the degree to which client and care characteristics determine these.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adolescents aged 12-18 (n = 403) and one of their parents (n = 403) rated the importance of communication before the psychosocial care process started. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to determine which characteristics were associated with the 25% lowest importance ratings for communication aspects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Adolescents and parents considered affective communication to be the most important, with shared decision-making the least important. For adolescents, lower importance ratings were associated with dissatisfaction with prior care (OR 1.8), negative expectations (ORs 1.9-2.4), emotional problems (ORs 0.2-0.5) and low prosocial behaviour skills (ORs 2.0). For parents, low education (ORs 1.7-1.8), negative expectations (OR 0.4), adolescent's hyperactivity/inattention (ORs 0.4-0.5) and low prosocial behaviour skills (ORs 1.8-2.6) determined lower importance ratings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Affective communication has highest priority for adolescents and their parents. Client and care characteristics are associated with client priorities in communication. Being attentive to clients' educational level, previous care experiences, current expectations and specific problem types might help professionals to adapt better to their clients' communication needs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Margot
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jager
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Andrea F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: De Winter
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Needs Education and Youth Care, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Janneke
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Metselaar
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Needs Education and Youth Care, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Erik J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Knorth
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Sciences, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sijmen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Reijneveld
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: adolescents; mental health care; parents; patient preferences; provider-patient communication; psychosocial problems