Abstract
BackgroundFeedback is regarded a key element in teaching communication skills. However, specific aspects of feedback have not been systematically investigated in this context. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of communication skills training (CST) integrating specific, structured and behavioral feedback.MethodsWe condensed best practice recommendations for feedback in a CST for undergraduate medical students and compared the effect of specific, structured and behavior-orientated feedback (intervention group CST-behav) to general, experience-orientated feedback (CST- exp. as our control group) in a randomized controlled trial (RCT). We investigated changes on communication skills evaluated by independent raters, and evaluated by standardized patients (SP). To do that, every student was video-recorded in a pre and post assessment.ResultsSixty-six undergraduate medical students participated voluntarily in our study. Randomization did not result in equally skilled groups at baseline, so valid inter-group comparisons were not possible. Therefore, we analyzed the results of 34 students of our intervention group (CST-behav). Five out of seven domains in communication skills as evaluated by independent raters improved significantly, and there was a significant change in the global evaluation by SP.ConclusionsAlthough we were unable to make between-group comparisons, the results of the within group pre-post evaluation suggest that specific feedback helps improve communication skills.
Highlights
Feedback is regarded a key element in teaching communication skills
Trial design This study utilized a randomized trial setting to rigorously investigate the effects of a revised teaching concept for the intervention group focusing on 360° behaviororientated feedback (CST-behav) compared to “feedback as-usual” i.e. experience-oriented feedback, for the control group (CST-exp) on observable communication skills
Participant flow and recruitment Of 69 medical students involved in the study, three dropped out due illness
Summary
Feedback is regarded a key element in teaching communication skills. specific aspects of feedback have not been systematically investigated in this context. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of communication skills training (CST) integrating specific, structured and behavioral feedback. Based on the results of above mentioned studies, it is of no surprise that communication skills training (CST) have been incorporated in the educational objectives of most undergraduate medical curricula [16, 17]. Several recent studies with undergraduate medical students showed an improvement in communication skills [18], students’ self-evaluation of such skills [19, 20], and in behavioral assessment during Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) [21]. There is still a lack of empirical research on how to most effectively teach communication skills so as to change students’ behavior. One possible form of providing feedback is 360° feedback which means to receive feedback from various perspectives [23]
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