Applying the Verona coding definitions of emotional sequences (VR-CoDES) to code medical students' written responses to written case scenarios: Some methodological and practical considerations.
To investigate whether the Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences to code health providers' responses (VR-CoDES-P) can be used for assessment of medical students' responses to patients' cues and concerns provided in written case vignettes.



Student responses in direct speech to patient cues and concerns were analysed in 21 different case scenarios using VR-CoDES-P.



A total of 977 student responses were available for coding, and 857 responses were codable with the VR-CoDES-P. In 74.6% of responses, the students used either a "reducing space" statement only or a "providing space" statement immediately followed by a "reducing space" statement. Overall, the most frequent response was explicit information advice (ERIa) followed by content exploring (EPCEx) and content acknowledgement (EPCAc).



VR-CoDES-P were applicable to written responses of medical students when they were phrased in direct speech. The application of VR-CoDES-P is reliable and feasible when using the differentiation of "providing" and "reducing space" responses. Communication strategies described by students in non-direct speech were difficult to code and produced many missings.



VR-CoDES-P are useful for analysis of medical students' written responses when focusing on emotional issues. Students need precise instructions for their response in the given test format.
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Campus Virchow-Klinikum and Campus Charité Mitte, Charité-Universitaetsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: heiderose.ortwein@glos-berlin.de.
Heiderose
H
Ortwein
Institute of Medical Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Goethestr. 31, 80336 Munich, Germany.
Alexander
A
Benz
Institute of Medical Psychology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Goethestr. 31, 80336 Munich, Germany.
Petra
P
Carl
Institute for Medical Education, Assessment und Evaluation, Konsumstrasse 13, 3010 Bern, Switzerland.
Sören
S
Huwendiek
Institut für Didaktik und Ausbildungsforschung in der Medizin, Klinikum der Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Ziemssenstrasse 1, 80336 München, Germany.
Tanja
T
Pander
Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, Fehrbelliner Straße 38, 16816 Neuruppin, Germany.
Claudia
C
Kiessling
D000328:Adult; D059019:Clinical Coding / Q000379:methods*; D003142:Communication; D003463:Cues; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*
Communication skills; Emotions; Formative assessment; Medical education; VR-CoDES; Written reflection