Areas Of Communication Skills Research Articles

Utility of mini-peer assessment tool as a formative assessment tool for the postgraduate trainees from dental faculty in specialty of prosthodontics and crown and bridge

Background: Mini-peer assessment tool (PAT), a multisource feedback tool, provides reliable information on a trainee doctor's performance in the areas of communication skills and humanitarian ethics. This tool is not utilized in the Faculty of Dentistry's postgraduate program in the subject of prosthodontics for formative assessment. Materials and Methods: This qualitative study was undertaken to determine the usability of the mini-PAT as a formative assessment instrument for postgraduate trainees in the specialty of prosthodontics. The study was performed using a purposive sampling method and mini-PAT questionnaire to evaluate all the residents who consented to participate in the study at two-time intervals. Feedback obtained from the assessors was shared with every postgraduate trainee to encourage them toward constructive professional development. Results: Statistic was done using Pearson's Chi-square test with Fisher's exact test to discover the relationship between two categorical variables. The mean scores of seven criteria of the mini-PAT before and after intervention were compared. Overall ratings demonstrated significant improvement (P < 0.001) after the intervention. Conclusions: Mini-PAT was found to be a useful formative assessment tool for postgraduate trainees from dental faculty in the specialty of prosthodontics.

Achieving Participation-Focused Intervention Through Shared Decision Making: Proposal of an Age- and Disorder-Generic Framework.

Introduction The World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health calls on speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to provide care that impacts all aspects of an individual's experience with a communication disorder, including their participation in valued life situations. However, SLPs often report feeling unprepared to implement and document interventions that target life participation. The purpose of this article is to propose a framework to guide participation-focused intervention practices. This age- and disorder-generic framework is designed to be applicable with clients across the variety of settings in which SLPs work. Method In this clinical focus article, we draw on past research and clinical experience to propose a restructuring of World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health components such that participation is the primary focus and outcomes indicator for intervention. In this framework, a specific communicative participation situation is identified and assessed quantitatively, and a corresponding participation-focused goal is established through shared decision making. Following that, assessments are conducted and goals are established in the areas of communication skills, physical and social environments, and personal perspectives. Results The proposed framework provides a concrete organizational structure as well as assessment, goal-writing, and intervention examples to assist SLPs in translating theoretical biopsychosocial frameworks into clinical practices. Conclusions SLPs can and do provide holistic communication services to clients to help them achieve their life participation goals. This article provides an example as to how we can document the need for, as well as the value and impact of our important work, meeting the diverse life participation needs of clients. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12360758.

Effect of Educational Intervention on Communication Skills and Self-Efficacy of Primary Healthcare Workers (Behvarz)

Aims: Effective communication between primary healthcare workers and people is a critical skill for providing appropriate healthcare. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of educational intervention on communication skills and self-efficacy of primary healthcare workers (Behvarz). Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study carried out between 104 people, who were the primary healthcare workers of health centers in Saveh and Zarandieh city in 2018. The primary healthcare workers of Saveh (60 people) were assigned to the test group and the primary healthcare workers of Zarandieh (44 people) were assigned to the control group. The test group received four 90 minute sessions training course on self-efficacy, and communication skills. Data were collected before the educational intervention and 2 months after the educational intervention by a questionnaire including demographic variables, self-efficacy, and a checklist of communication skills. Data were analyzed using SPSS 19 software through Chi-square test, paired sample t-test, and independent sample t-test. Findings: Based on the results, there was no significant difference between the mean scores of the self-efficacy and communication skills in the test and control groups before the educational intervention (p>0.05). After the educational intervention, a significant difference was observed in the all areas of communication skills (starting the session and creating a relationship, data collection, paying attention to people's point of view who referred to the health center and providing information, mutual agreement and ending the session) and self-efficacy (p<0.001). Also, the mean scores of self-efficacy and communication skills increased in the test group after the educational intervention (p<0.001). Conclusion: Educational intervention is effective on the improvement of communication skills and self-efficacy of primary healthcare workers.

FORMATION OF SOFT SKILLS OF CHILDREN ET PRESCHOOL AGE THROUGH THE USE OF INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES IN WORKING WITH CREATIVE STORYTELING

The development of speech must be seen not only in the linguistic aspect (such as mastering the phonetic, lexical and grammatical habits of the child), but also in the area of communication skills (forming the child's skills to interact with peers and adults) that are important not only for the culture of speech, but also for the culture of communication. Communicative competence in pre-school age is therefore seen as the ability of children not only to form separate phrases but also to choose those that best reflect the necessary concrete behavior in individual speech situations and speech interaction because language as a means of communication it only makes sense in a given context. Namely the relationship between communication and socialization could lead to the formation of children of so-called soft skills. The child's ability to understand a specific speech situation in which he / she is placed allows him / her to actively master the language. In order to structure its narrative and select the correct means of expression, the child is placed in an imaginary speech situation, which largely directs his speech in the service of the specific communicative task and forms the basis of communicative competence. At preschool age, it covers the social context of language competency, that is, everything related to the situation in which the child communicates through language and by all means. The development of the communicative side of the creative storyteling at preschool age requires the development of such a system of speech tasks that stimulates both the creative imagination and the fulfillment of the communicative task set forth in the narrative process. This article focuses on the communicative side of verbal creativity by analyzing the ability of children to organize their own speech in accordance with a specific communicative purpose. It provides a tool for assessing the communicative focus of creative stories by analyzing the correspondence of the produced text with the theme, the preferred speech genre and the speech means that children use in their narrative.

Physician attire and palliative care patients’ perception of physician compassion and professionalism: A randomized controlled trial (RCT).

39 Background: Environment is important component of communication skills. Physicians’ communication style including attire may influence patient perceptions. Previous studies mostly based on pictures of providers in different attires provide conflicting evidence. This RCT aimed to explore the effects of physician attire on patients’ perceptions of compassion, professionalism and physician preference. Hypothesis was that patients will perceive the doctor in formal attire as more compassionate than the doctor wearing casual attire. Methods: 105 English speaking adult follow-ups at outpatient supportive care center, were randomized to watch 2 standardized, 3-minute video vignettes, with similar script, depicting a routine clinic encounter. In one video, physician was wearing formal attire with tie and buttoned up white coat, while in the other, physician was in casual attire without a tie or white coat. Actors and patients were all blinded to purpose of the study. Investigators were blinded to the videos watched by patients. After viewing each video, patients completed validated questionnaires rating their perception of physician compassion (0 = best, 50 = worst) and professionalism (5 = poor, 25 = very good). Patients were also asked to rate their preference for the physician. Results: There were no significant differences between formal and casual attire for compassion [median (IQR), 25 (10, 31) vs 20 (8, 27); P = 0.31] and professionalism, [17 (13, 21) vs 18 (14, 22); P = 0.42]. 32 (30%) patients preferred formal, 33 (31%) preferred casual attire and 40 (38 %) patients had no preference. Subgroup analysis did not show significant differences among age, sex, marital status and education level for compassion, professionalism and physician preference. Conclusions: Doctor’s attire did not have an effect on patients’ perception of physicians’ level of compassion and professionalism. Dress code also did not influence the patients’ preference for their doctor or their trust and confidence in the doctor’s ability to provide care. There is need for more RCTs in area of communication skills specifically to better understand the impact of different attires on patient perceptions. Clinical trial information: NCT03168763.

Are we Training Enough of Communication Skills and Patient Psychology Required in Dental Practice.

The aim of this review is to discuss about lacunae in the areas of Communication skills and Patient psychology teaching in the dental set up in India. A literature search was performed using various databases and other resources. Data obtained was reviewed to obtain the work done in this field. It was found that there is currently no clear data in literature as to how much and how well students are taught about communication and behavioural skills and patient personality in dental curriculum in India. Pinpointing such lacunae can help dental colleges and universities to focus on the emphasis of their approaches to teaching about communication skills and psychology of the patient. Identification of future research area in this field is the need of the time for future discovery and progress in this overlooked field.

Communication Behaviors of Principals at High Performing Title I Elementary Schools in Virginia: School Leaders, Communication, and Transformative Efforts

&lt;p align="center"&gt;Abstract&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Principals of modern Title I elementary schools, where at least half of the student population lives in poverty, must possess a broader set of leadership skills than has been historically necessary. The ability to motivate teachers utilizing effective communication is one such skill set. This qualitative research proposes a division-level training program designed to improve communication skills of principals and aspiring principals based on the self-reported communication strategies of principals at high-performing Title I elementary schools. High performing Title I schools represented just 8% of all Title I schools in Virginia during 2014. This qualitative data was derived from semi-structured interviews with 8 of these principals, surveys of principals, and publicly available data about these schools. Analysis of the self-reported information resulted in 11 specific communication strategies practiced by most or all of the principals in the participating high performing Title I elementary schools. Further uncovered were 5 themes of communication in leadership which include: a student-centered approach to decision-making; transparency of decision-making; shared decision-making with principal and teachers; the role of faculty trust; and principal preparation. Specific principal communication behaviors with teachers were implemented in motivating teachers toward earning high-performing status. These included frequent face-to-face and personal communications, minimal use of whole-school meetings, and weekly principal participation in grade level meetings. Additionally, principal certification programs were found to have had little impact on the participants in the area of communication. Finally, the critical importance of mentoring, together with school-division level training in the area of communication development, was revealed. This research concluded that communication skills are necessary for building trust between school principals and teachers, with trusting relationships vital for leading teachers toward effective instruction. More structured leadership training is essential in the area of communication skills in preparing school leaders and is most effective at the school division level.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt; &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;

Autism: Collaborative Perspektives in Education

Autism is the continuum of impairments. Children with autism show intellectual, social, emotional, and language or communication disorder. Collaboration is an important aspect in delivering education/intervention for children. Professionals have to have knowledge and skill related to autism and have to team up with parent in dealing with the disorder. The unique profile of the individual with autism calls for emphasis in the areas of communication skills, social-emotional, behavioral, and sensory regulation, and communication. Pre-identification of the children may help teachers and parents to make decisions whether the child needs a referral or not. In this case, Indonesia needs to make more political will in order to implement autism education in various setting to address immediate needs of the children before the problem becomes more complicated

A Pilot Study of Service-Learning in a Spanish Heritage Speaker Course: Community Engagement, Identity, and Language in the Chicago Area

This article presents research findings from a pilot study of the use of service-learning in an intermediate-high class (“Spanish Language and Culture for Heritage Speakers”) in the fall semesters of 2010 and 2011. Students reported gains in the areas of communication skills, dispositional learning, language, identity formation, and identification and solidarity with Latino communities of the greater Chicago area. The author argues that service-learning in this context not only serves the goals of the discipline of teaching Spanish language and Hispanic cultures, but that it is also potentially transformative for students. Service-learning engages with social justice education, as well as education for democracy, pointing the discipline in a promising direction as Latino student enrollments continue to grow in the years to come.

Developmental Trajectories of Early Communication Skills

This study focused on developmental trajectories of prelinguistic communication skills and their connections to later parent-reported language difficulties. The participants represent a subset of a community-based sample of 508 children. Data include parent reports of prelinguistic communication skills at 12, 15, 18, and 21 months and language difficulties at age 4;7 (years;months). The authors used latent profile analysis to identify groups of children with differing developmental trajectories of prelinguistic communication skills ( n = 271). The relations among these groups and follow-up data of parent-reported concerns of language development ( n = 187), as well as the role of gender, were examined. Six meaningful prelinguistic communication groups were identified with the latent profile analysis, and these groups showed connections to later parent-reported concerns of language difficulties. Delayed early expressive language and a minor delay of overall performance, together with symbolic difficulties, appeared as predictors of later language difficulties. Nearly 80% of the children whose parents reported language-related concerns at the follow-up stage could already be identified before their 2nd birthday. The results support the potential of early screening in identifying children at risk of developing language difficulties, particularly when screening includes repeated surveillance of more than one area of communication skills.

A New Vision for Pharmacy Education: It Is Time to Shift the Old Paradigm and Move Forward

A New Vision for Pharmacy Education: It Is Time to Shift the Old Paradigm and Move Forward

Role of the Speech-Language Pathologist in Palliative Hospice Care

In reviewing the literature, there are few articles describing the role of the speech-language pathologist in hospice. Communication impairments can impact upon the hospice team's ability to provide symptom control and supportive psychosocial care, and diminish the patient's ability to guide the decision making process and maintain social closeness with family. Swallowing difficulties may result in discomfort for patients and concern from caregivers. Patient care provided by the speech-language pathologist can align with the framework of the World Health Organization's components of palliative care. Four primary roles of the speech-language pathologist in hospice can be described. (1) To provide consultation to patients, families, and members of the hospice team in the areas of communication, cognition, and swallowing function; (2) To develop strategies in the area of communication skills in order to support the patient's role in decision making, to maintain social closeness, and to assist the client in fulfillment of end-of-life goals; (3) To assist in optimizing function related to dysphagia symptoms in order to improve patient comfort and eating satisfaction, and promote positive feeding interactions for family members and (4) To communicate with members of the interdisciplinary hospice team, to provide and receive input related to overall patient care. Further development of the speech-language pathologist as a participating member of the hospice interdisciplinary team would support the overall goal of providing quality care for patients and families served by hospice.

Selecting medical students.

required skills and personal qualities additional to academic aptitude, and wrote: The leap of logic that equates high marks in an examination at the terminal end of adolescence with a humane and caring medical profession is a nonsense, but is sustained because nobody has any other solution which is strong enough to combat … the “high-enough mark method”. The University of Newcastle led a major change in medical education in Australia in the late 1970s by introducing problembased learning, early clinical skills acquisition, community orientation, and the addition of personal qualities evaluation to the student selection process. The first Newcastle students were admitted in 1978. The Foundation Dean, David Maddison, anticipated the current debate and planned accordingly. The “Newcastle Experiment” 3 involved half the students being admitted on the basis of academic marks alone (top 1%–2%), irrespective of personal qualities assessed by test and interview; the other half were admitted on the basis of personal qualities after applying an academic threshold (top 10%). After a 9-year period, prior academic performance and personal qualities at the time of selection were compared with two outcome measures: a negative measure — non-completion of the course — and a positive one — graduation with honours. The results showed no relationship between either outcome and prior academic performance. However, there were important associations for both the negative and positive outcomes with personal qualities at the time of selection. The interview had the most predictive power in the selection procedure — those who did well in the areas of communication skills, motivation to be a doctor, and capacity to provide support to those in distress had a greater likelihood of completing their studies at medical school and of

Performance of "standardized examinees" in a standardized-patient examination of clinical skills.

As a first step in testing the utility of using trained "standardized examinees" (SEs) as a quality-assurance measure for the scoring process in a standardized-patient (SP) examination, to test whether medical residents could simulate students in an SP examination and perform consistently to specified levels under test conditions. Fourth-year students from the Baltimore-Washington Consortium for SPs participated in a National Board of Medical Examiners Prototype Examination of clinical skills consisting of twelve 15-minute student-patient encounters in 1994-95. For this examination, internal medicine residents were trained to act as ordinary candidates and to achieve target scores by performing to a set level on specific checklist items used by SPs for recording interviewing, physical-examination, and communication skills. The "strong SEs" were trained to score 80% correct on six of the examination's 12 cases (study cases), and the "weak SEs" were trained to score 40% correct on the same six cases. The strong and weak SEs' checklist scores on the study cases were compared through independent, two-tailed t-tests. When there was less than 85% agreement on specific checklist items in each case between the SE training and the SP recording, videotapes of the cases were reviewed; in such cases an SE's performance was the final score agreed upon after review. Seven SEs took the SP examination and were not detected by the SPs. There was a total of 84 discrepancies between predicted and recorded checklist scores across 659 checklist items in 40 encounters scored by the SPs. After correcting the discrepancies based on videotape review, the estimated actual mean score was 77.3% for the strong SEs and 44.0% for the weak SEs, and was higher for the strong SEs in each study case. The overall fidelity of the SEs to their training was estimated to be 97%, and the overall SP accuracy was estimated to be 91%. The videotape review revealed 47 training-scoring discrepancies, most in the area of communication skills. This study suggests that SEs can be trained to specific performance levels and may be an effective internal control for a high-stakes SP examination. They may also provide a mechanism for refining scoring checklists and for exploring the validity of SP examinations.

Interns' performances with simulated patients at the beginning and the end of the intern year.

To determine whether interns' performances of technical, preventive, and communication aspects of patient care improve during the intern year. A descriptive study. At the beginning and end of the intern year, interns' consultations with three simulated (standardized) patients were videotaped and scored according to explicit criteria set by an expert panel. Problems simulated were urinary tract infection, bronchitis, and tension headache. The casualty outpatient department in a general teaching hospital in New South Wales, Australia. Twenty-eight interns rotated to the casualty department. Little improvement over the intern year in technical competence or preventive care was observed, even though initial levels of compliance with criteria were quite low for some items. Greater improvement was apparent in the area of communication skills. The results suggest that the internship should be restructured to more adequately teach the skills required for primary care.