title: Attitudes of medical students toward communication skills learning in Western Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore medical students' attitudes towards communication skills learning in Western Saudi Arabia and to examine impact of socio-demographic variables on the attitudes towards learning these skills.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, sample of medical students were recruited from Taif University, Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the second semester (January-May 2014). Participants were all year 2 (197 students) and year 5 (151 students). The study utilize the Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) to measure students' attitudes toward communication skills learning. The response rate was 93.9%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed that Taif medical students hold highly positive attitudes towards learning communication skills. Positive attitude score (PAS) was significantly higher in level 5 students, older age group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant positive attitude toward learning communication skills clearly observed in target group. Students with more positive attitudes towards communication skills learning tended to be higher level and older age.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Taif Armed Forces Hospital, Prince Mansour Military Hospital, Al-Taif, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. E-mail. dr.fawaz74@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fawaz S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Alotaibi
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alsaeedi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult