Effects Of Communication Skills Training Research Articles

Communication skills training for improving the communicative abilities of student social workers.

Good communication is central to effective social work practice, helping to develop constructive working relationships and improve the outcomes of people in receipt of social work services. There is strong consensus that the teaching and learning of communication skills for social work students is an essential component of social work qualifying courses. However, the variation in communication skills training and its components is significant. There is a sizeable body of evidence relating to communication skills training therefore a review of the findings helps to clarify what we know about this important topic in social work education. We conducted this systematic review to determine whether communication skills training for social work students works and which types of communication skills training, if any, were more effective and lead to the most positive outcomes. This systematic review aimed to critically evaluate all studies which have investigated the effectiveness of communication skills training programmes for social work students. The research question which the review posed is: 'What is the effectiveness of communication skills training for improving the communicative abilities of social work students?' It was intended that the review would provide a robust evaluation of communication skills training for social work students and help explain variations in practice to support educators and policy-makers to make evidence-based decisions in social work education, practice and policy. We conducted a search for published and unpublished studies using a comprehensive search strategy that included multiple electronic databases, research registers, grey literature sources, and reference lists of prior reviews and relevant studies. Study selection was based on the following characteristics: Participants were social work students on generic (as opposed to client specific) qualifying courses; Interventions included any form of communication skills training; eligible studies were required to have an appropriate comparator such as no intervention or an alternative intervention; and outcomes included changes in knowledge, attitudes, skills and behaviours. Study selection was not restricted by geography, language, publication date or publication type. The search strategy was developed using the terms featuring in existing knowledge and practice reviews and in consultation with social work researchers, academics and the review advisory panel, to ensure that a broad range of terminology was included. One reviewer conducted the database searches, removing duplicates and irrelevant records, after which each record was screened by title and abstract by both reviewers to ensure robustness. Any studies deemed to be potentially eligible were retrieved in full text and screened by both reviewers. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Overall, findings indicate that communication skills training including empathy can be learnt, and that the systematic training of social work students results in some identifiable improvements in their communication skills. However, the evidence is dated, methodological rigour is weak, risk of bias is moderate to high/serious or incomplete, and extreme heterogeneity exists between the primary studies and the interventions they evaluated. As a result, data from the included studies were incomplete, inconsistent, and lacked validity, limiting the findings of this review, whilst identifying that further research is required. This review aimed to examine effects of communication skills training on a range of outcomes in social work education. With the exception of skill acquisition, there was insufficient evidence available to offer firm conclusions on other outcomes. For social work educators, our understanding of how communication skills and empathy are taught and learnt remain limited, due to a lack of empirical research and comprehensive discussion. Despite the limitations and variations in educational culture, the findings are still useful, and suggest that communication skills training is likely to be beneficial. One important implication for practice appears to be that the teaching and learning of communication skills in social work education should provide opportunities for students to practice skills in a simulated (or real) environment. For researchers, it is clear that further rigorous research is required. This should include using validated research measures, using research designs which include appropriate counterfactuals, alongside more careful and consistent reporting. The development of the theoretical underpinnings of the interventions used for the teaching and learning of communication skills in social work education is another area that researchers should address.

Communication skills in the training of psychiatrists: A systematic review of current approaches.

A range of communication skills training programmes have been developed targeting trainees in various medical specialties, predominantly in oncology but to a lesser extent in psychiatry. Effective communication is fundamental to the assessment and treatment of psychiatric conditions, but there has been less attention to this in clinical practice for psychiatrists in training. This review examines the outcomes of communication skills training interventions in psychiatric specialty training. The published English-language literature was examined using multiple online databases, grey literature and hand searches. The review was conducted and reported using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines. Studies examining the efficacy of communication skills training were included. Randomised controlled trials, pseudo-randomised studies and quasi-experimental studies, as well as observational analytical studies and qualitative studies that met criteria, were selected and critically appraised. No limits were applied for date of publication up until 16 July 2016. Total search results yielded 2574 records. Of these, 12 studies were identified and reviewed. Two were randomised controlled trials and the remaining 10 were one-group pretest/posttest designs or posttest-only designs, including self-report evaluations of communication skills training and objective evaluations of trainee skills. There were no studies with outcomes related to behaviour change or patient outcomes. Two randomised controlled trials reported an improvement in clinician empathy and psychotherapeutic interviewing skills due to specific training protocols focused on those areas. Non-randomised studies showed varying levels of skills gains and self-reported trainee satisfaction ratings with programmes, with the intervention being some form of communication skills training. The heterogeneity of communication skills training is a barrier to evaluating the efficacy of different communication skills training programmes. Further validation studies examining specific models and frameworks would support a stronger evidence base for communication skills training in psychiatry. It remains a challenge to develop research to investigate behaviour change over time in clinical practice or to measure patient outcomes due to the effects of communication skills training.

The Effect of Communication Skills Training for Medical Personnel on Patients’ Satisfaction

Effective communication skills of hospital personnel can lead to increased quality of healthcare services. Communication skills are defined as the most important feature of healthcare providers. Given the importance of communication in medical settings, the present study was conducted to examine the effects of communication skills training for treatment personnel on patients’ satisfaction. The present quasi-experimental study was conducted on 508 employees and patients in Hamadan Fatemieh Hospital, 2016. Each group of participants was divided into two groups of experimental and controls. The required data were collected through a questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, the Communication Skills Inventory and the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire. The CSI and the PSQ were completed twice. Hospital personnel in the experimental group received 4 sessions of communication skills training. Using the SPSS-21 software, the collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics and parametric and nonparametric statistical tests. According to the results, the average age of medical employees in the experimental group was 31.89±6.96 years and in the control group were 28.81±5.19 years. Medical personnel in the control group received lower scores in all aspects of communication skills before and after the intervention. Before the intervention, there were significant differences between the two groups in terms of age, work experience, job category, feedback and overall communication skills (p<0.05). Using Analysis of Covariance and adjustment of age, work experience and job category, no significant difference was observed in communication skills domains of feedback and overall communication skills between the two groups after the intervention. After the intervention, patients in the experimental group were more satisfied with the performance of treatment personnel than patients in the control group. Due to the lack of communication skills, many of hospital personnel cannot communicate effectively with patients and colleagues. Accordingly, providing these employees with communication skills workshops and in-service training programs can be helpful.

Effects of Communication Skills Training on Aggression and Quality of Life of Male Patients with Chronic Mental Illnesses

Effects of Communication Skills Training on Aggression and Quality of Life of Male Patients with Chronic Mental Illnesses

Study the Effects of Communication Skills Training on Satisfaction and Anxiety Level of Dentistry Students and their Patients.

Patient anxiety about the dental procedures is one of the most common problems in this profession. Most people avoid going to a dentist because of their fear and anxiety. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of communication skills training concerning satisfaction and anxiety level of dental students and their patients. The Ethics Committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in Iran (no 86379) approved this study. In this controlled experimental clinical study, fifty-one last year dental students of Mashhad University and one hundred fifty-three patients were participated. Through use of an Anxiety standard questionnaire and school average of scores, data were collected about the level of satisfaction and anxiety and scientific and practical skills. Students of the experimental group took part in the communication skills workshop. The questionnaires were collected and because of ethic principles, participants were identified with numeric codes. Data were analyzed with t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient. There was a significant difference between satisfaction of interventional and control group. The communication skills workshop increased satisfaction of dental students (p=0/024). There was a negative correlation between anxiety and satisfaction (p-value=0.030, r=0.305). There was no significant difference between patients’ satisfaction, patients’ anxiety students’ anxiety in the experimental and control group. Communication skills workshop increased the satisfaction of students but there was no effect on patients’ satisfaction. There was a significant negative correlation between anxiety and satisfaction in both dental students and their patients. Communication skills increased the students’ satisfaction, had an indirect effect on their anxiety level, and decreased it. Communication skills workshop is useful for dental students and their patient and would have good effects on doctor-patient correlation.

Effects of communication skills educational intervention of Mothers of

Abstract ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Background : Anxiety disorders are one of the most common mental disorders in children. In regard with the importance effect of appropriate communication among parents specially mothers and children, on mental health of children, this study investigated the effects of communication skills training for mothers on anxiety levels of school students in Tehran. Methods and Material: In a quasi-experimental study, 114 students in first grade class, in an area in Tehran and their mothers were included. Before the intervention , children's anxiety was assessed by using the School Anxiety Scale –Teacher report (SAS-TR (SAS-TR), and mothers' communication skills was measured by Queendom communication skills questionnaire. The mothers of the children in intervention group were provided a communication skills education program. Mothers of the children in control group were also provided with communication skills education after completion of the study. Two month after the educational intervention mothers' communicational skills and their children's anxiety in two groups were assessed by two questionnaires and compared with pre intervention stage. Data were analyzed by SPSS statistical software. Findings: Wilcoxon statistical test showed a significant decrease in anxiety scores of children of mothers of intervention group (p<0.05), while no significant difference was found between pre and post educational intervention anxiety scores in control group. Mean scores of mothers' communicational skills was (114.± 8/9) before Intervention which significantly increased after educational program (p<0.05). Conclusion: Anxiety of students is in primary school has a high incidence, diagnosis and early treatment could prevent future complications. According to this study findings , communication skills training for mothers is an effective way to reduce the anxiety students. Keywords: Anxiety, student, teacher, School anxiety scale - teacher report (SAS-TR), communication skills training

Effect of a Self-Determination Theory–Based Communication Skills Training Program on Physiotherapists' Psychological Support for Their Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ObjectiveTo examine the effects of communication skills training on physiotherapists' supportive behavior during clinical practice. DesignRandomized trial. SettingHospital outpatient physiotherapy clinics. ParticipantsPhysiotherapists (N=24) and patients (N=24) with chronic low back pain. InterventionsTwo hospital clinics were randomly assigned to the intervention arm. Physiotherapists (n=12) received 8 hours of communication skills training focused on supporting patients' psychological needs. Physiotherapists (n=12) from 2 other hospital clinics formed a waitlist control arm. Main Outcome MeasuresVerbal communication between each physiotherapist and a patient was recorded on an audiotape, and independent, blinded raters used the Health Care Climate Questionnaire to assess physiotherapists' needs-supportive behavior (primary outcome). ResultsIndependent raters' Health Care Climate Questionnaire scores favored the intervention arm (Cohen's d=2.27; P<.01). ConclusionsCompared with controls, independent ratings demonstrated that physiotherapists who completed the Communication style and exercise compliance in physiotherapy training were found to provide greater support for patients' needs in a single assessed session. Long-term maintenance of this needs-supportive behavior should be examined.

The Effects of Communication Skills Training on Pediatricians' and Parents' Communication During “Sick Child” Visits

This article reports the development and evaluation of a physician–parent communication skills training program designed to improve communication regarding antibiotic prescribing for children. Four pediatricians and 81 parents participated in the study, which involved audiotaping “sick child” office visits and then coding transcripts for evidence of program influence on information seeking, giving, and verifying, as well as relational communication. Parents who received training were more likely to verify information, t(79) = 1.82, p = .04, and more likely to express concerns, t(79) = 1.79, p = .04, than were parents who did not receive training; there was a nonsignificant trend for trained parents to be more likely to give information, t(79) = 1.7, p = .051. In terms of physician behavior, there were nonsignificant trends for physicians to spend more time creating a partnership with parents after training than before training, t(3) = 2.29, p = .053, and to encourage more questions from parents after training than before, t(3) = 2.15, p = .06. In addition, once one outlier parent in the control condition was removed from the analysis, the results showed that physicians spent more time addressing treatment options after training than before, t(3) = 2.9, p = .03. The results of this study are considered promising, with effects shown for various important elements of physician–parent communication. Implications of results and directions for future research are discussed.

The effects of patient communication skills training on the discourse of older patients during a primary care interview.

To test the effects of a communication skills training intervention on older patients' discourse during a primary care interview. A quasi-experimental design involving two intervention conditions. The Family Practice Center of a university-based clinic. Thirty-three patients averaging age 72 and 9 family practice physicians. A communication skills training booklet received approximately 3 days before the scheduled appointment and a 30-minute face-to-face follow-up session before seeing the physician. Patients' seeking, providing, and verifying of information were coded from transcripts of the 33 interviews. Trained patients engaged in significantly more seeking and providing of information than untrained patients. Additionally, trained patients obtained significantly more information from physicians than did untrained patients, both in terms of the number of total information units and the number of units per question asked. Patient communication skills training appears to be an effective means of enhancing patients' participation in the medical interview without increasing the overall length of the interview.

The Effects of Communication Skills Training on Ego States and Problem Solving

This article describes an experimental study carried out to test the effectiveness of a communication skills program on transactional analysis ego states and the problem solving scores of prospective teachers. The experimental group participated in training, whereas the control group had no training. The Adjective Check List and Problem Solving Inventory were applied to both the experimental and control groups before and after treatment. Analysis of covariance test results showed that Critical Parent, Nurturing Parent, Adult, and Adapted Child scores and problem solving scores changed significantly in the experimental group. In addition, one-way analysis of variance and paired t tests were used to test the durability of change in the experimental group; this showed that results remained stable over 15 weeks.

Increasing Communication Among Nursing Home Residents

In this preliminary, intrasubject study (N = 8), we examined the effects of communication skills training and the use of memory books by Nursing Assistants (NAs) on the social ecology of a nursing home. Through inservice and on-the-job training, NAs were taught to use communication skills and memory books during their interactions with residents with mild to moderate cognitive impairment (Mini Mental Status Examination, M = 16.25), but relatively intact communication abilities. An abbreviated staff motivational system called Behavioral Supervision (Burgio and Burgio, 1990. Int. J. Aging Hum. Deve. 30: 287–302.) was attempted to encourage performance of these skills on the nursing units. Results showed that, regardless of sporadic implementation of the intervention by nursing staff, the intervention improved communication between staff and residents during care routines, increased the amount of time other residents and visitors spent talking with target residents, and increased the rate of positive statements made by the target residents and others in their immediate environment. Results are discussed in terms of limitations of the staff motivational system and modifications made to the system in a larger ongoing intervention trial.

The effects of communication skills training on patients’ participation during medical interviews

Recent models of physician–patient communication emphasize information exchange in promoting partnership. Although considerable attention has been given to physicians’ information exchange, little research has examined patients’ communication contributions. The purpose of this research was to test the effectiveness of a training booklet designed to enhance patients’ communication skills in information exchange. A nested design was used, such that 25 physicians each saw six patients, two patients in each of three communication skills interventions (i.e. trained, informed, control). The dependent variables included several discourse categories designed to assess patients’ information seeking, provision, and verifying. Results indicate that trained patients engaged in more effective and efficient information seeking, provided physicians with more detailed information about their medical condition, and used more summarizing utterances to verify information they received from physicians. Additionally, dyads consisting of trained patients demonstrated a more patient-controlled style of communication than did dyads consisting of informed or untrained patients.

Effects of communication skills training on students' diagnostic efficiency

This study evaluates the impact of a training programme in communications skills on subsequent diagnostic efficiency. Videotaped history-taking interviews conducted by groups of specially trained and control groups of students were rated for their diagnostic efficiency by two medical practitioners. Students in the trained group had shown greatly increased skills in interviewing and interpersonal effectiveness as a result of their training. A comparison of ratings given by the two experimentally naive, independent observers revealed that trained students were significantly better at eliciting full, relevant data from patients--they were diagnostically more efficient, but took no longer than their control group counterparts to elicit the information. Further research with the medical interview rating scale will clarify the skills required of medical students in interviewing and diagnosis and facilitate remedial training for students who show poor interview skills.

Cognitive and behavioral interventions: A comparative evaluation with clinically distressed couples.

Compared the effects of communication skills training (CST) and cognitive therapy (CGT) in 32 severely distressed couples. Ss receiving CST showed significant improvement on main targets, the Communication Questionnaire, and a relationship beliefs inventory. CGT resulted also in significant improvements on these measures. On the direct behavioral observation measure, CST was superior to CGT. A direct comparison between both conditions indicated that CGT was more effective on the main targets, whereas CST was more effective on direct behavioral observation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved)

Cognitive and behavioral interventions: A comparative evaluation with clinically distressed couples.

Compared the effects of communication skills training (CST) and cognitive therapy (CGT) in 32 severely distressed couples. Ss receiving CST showed significant improvement on main targets, the Communication Questionnaire, and a relationship beliefs inventory. CGT resulted also in significant improvements on these measures. On the direct behavioral observation measure, CST was superior to CGT. A direct comparison between both conditions indicated that CGT was more effective on the main targets, whereas CST was more effective on direct behavioral observation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2004 APA, all rights reserved)

Facilitating Postdivorce Adjustment Among Women:

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of communication skills training on adjustment to divorce and separation among women. Divorcees in the experimental group (N = 13) received 15 hours of training in interpersonal communication skills, along with didactic information regarding various aspects of the postdivorce adjustment process. Divorcees in the control group (N = 15) received no treatment. Results indicated that the experimental group, relative to the control group, significantly increased in overall divorce adjustment and in empathy skills. Although the experimental group, relative to the control group, showed some increase in selfesteem, the results were not conclusive. No significant differences were found between the experimental group and the control group in either perceived social support or selfdisclosure skill. Discussion centered on the advantages of structured skills training as a strategy for intervention in the postdivorce adjustment process.