title: Predictors of physicians' communication performance in a decision-making encounter with a simulated advanced-stage cancer patient: A longitudinal study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Physicians' characteristics that influence their communication performance (CP) in decision-making encounters have been rarely studied. In this longitudinal study, predictors of physicians' CP were investigated with a simulated advanced-stage cancer patient.
  
  
  METHODS
  Physicians (n=85) performed a decision-making encounter with a simulated patient (SP). Their CP was calculated by analyzing encounter transcripts with validated interaction analysis systems. Potential specific psychological predictors were physicians' empathy towards the SP (Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy, JSPE) and their decisional conflict about the treatment (Decisional Conflict Scale, DCS). Potential general psychological predictors were physicians' empathy towards cancer patients (JSPE), their decisional conflict about cancer patients' treatments (DCS), and their affective reactions to uncertainty (Physicians' Reactions to Uncertainty, PRU).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Physicians' CP was predicted by their decisional conflict about the SP's treatment (DCS) (β=0.41; p< 0.001) and their affective reactions to uncertainty regarding cancer treatments (PRU) (β=-0.31; p=0.003).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During encounters with advanced-stage cancer patients, physicians' awareness of uncertainty about which treatments to consider may facilitate their communication performance, whereas physicians' affective reactions to uncertainty may inhibit their performance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians' decisional conflict and reactions to uncertainty should be addressed in communication skills training programs.
authors.affiliation: Unité de recherche en psychosomatique et en psycho-oncologie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium; Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: yves.libert@bordet.be.
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Libert
authors.affiliation: Unité de recherche en psychosomatique et en psycho-oncologie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium; Service de psychologie, Hopital Universitaire Erasme, Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: delphine.canivet@erasme.ulb.ac.be.
authors.forename: Delphine
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Canivet
authors.affiliation: Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ménard
authors.affiliation: Faculté de psychologie, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Laëtitia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Van Achte
authors.affiliation: Centre de Psycho-Oncologie (CPO): training and research group, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Farvacques
authors.affiliation: Unité de recherche en psychosomatique et en psycho-oncologie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium; Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Merckaert
authors.affiliation: Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Aurore
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liénard
authors.affiliation: Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Klastersky
authors.affiliation: Faculté de psychologie, Université Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-La-Neuve, Belgium.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reynaert
authors.affiliation: Centre de Psycho-Oncologie (CPO): training and research group, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Slachmuylder
authors.affiliation: Centre de Psycho-Oncologie (CPO): training and research group, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Durieux
authors.affiliation: Unité de recherche en psychosomatique et en psycho-oncologie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium; Service de psychologie, Hopital Universitaire Erasme, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Delvaux
authors.affiliation: Unité de recherche en psychosomatique et en psycho-oncologie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium; Institut Jules Bordet, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Darius
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Razavi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000368:Aged; D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D016544:Patient Simulation; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D035501:Uncertainty
keywords: Cancer; Communication; Decision-making; Physicians; Psychological predictors; Simulated patient