Communication Practices Research Articles

How conversations can empower and involve: Building the evidence for Approved Mental Health Professionals’ communicative practices

How conversations can empower and involve: Building the evidence for Approved Mental Health Professionals’ communicative practices

Collaborating with non-radiological clinical colleagues.

Paediatric radiology is a challenging and intriguing subspecialty, dealing with children, guardians and non-radiological clinical colleagues. Paediatric radiologists are routinely in contact with numerous paediatric and surgical subspecialties, all having different needs, perceptions, prioritisations and expectations. Moreover, the radiologist is part of the team of radiographers, sonographers, nurses and secretaries, assisted by appropriate equipment and electronic tools. The framework of good collaboration to ensure safety and effectiveness for the imaged child is a shared responsibility among all medical practitioners involved. Communication in routine practice has many forms and includes appropriately filled radiology requests in accordance to the patient's medical records, routine and timely production of structured, problem-solving radiology reports, face-to-face or electronic-assisted communications and discussions on a pre-defined framework, mutually-agreed and evidence-based protocols adjusted to local availability, skills and national and international guidelines. Mutual understanding of advantages and limitations of imaging is paramount. Well-meant discussions, professionalism and empathy should promote soft skills, bidirectional communication and good collaboration for the benefit of added-value paediatric radiology. International societies, health authorities, medical directors and senior consultants have the responsibility to suggest and safeguard frameworks and recommendations. Regular multidisciplinary meetings and multidisciplinary research projects under openness, honesty and transparency are pathways favouring good collaboration.

A Need for Targeted Teaching of Shared Decision-Making as Identified from an Assessment of Client-Centered Communication Skills Training with Companion Animal Veterinarians.

Shared decision-making has been increasingly discussed as a communication practice within veterinary medicine, and it is gaining more traction for diagnostic and treatment planning conversations and specifically offering a spectrum of care. This teaching tip describes the data from an investigation of veterinarians' shared decision-making in a pre-test/post-test communication skills training intervention that used a client-centered, skills-based communication approach. Practice teams from a purposive sample of four companion animal veterinary clinics in Texas participated in a 15-month communication skills intervention, including interactive group workshops and one-on-one communication coaching. To assess the outcome of the intervention, for nine participating veterinarians, appointments recorded pre- (n=85) and post-intervention (n= 85) were analyzed using the Observer OPTION 5 instrument to assess shared decision-making. The intervention effect was evaluated using mixed logistic regression, adjusting for appointment type. The communication intervention did not significantly impact participating veterinarians' demonstration of shared decision-making (pre=25.42, n=55; post=28.03, n=56; p=0.36). Appointment type was significantly associated with veterinarians' OPTION 5 scores (p=.0004) and health problem appointments (OPTION 5=30.07) demonstrated greater shared decision-making than preventive care appointments (OPTION 5=22.81). Findings suggest that client-centered, skills-based training traditionally used in veterinary curricula and continuing education may not foster the use of shared decision-making, which is a higher-order communication approach that may require a dedicated process-oriented training. This teaching tip highlights the need for a targeted stepwise approach to teach shared decision-making.

The First Baby Study: What women would like to have known about first childbirth. A mixed-methods study.

Although prenatal care providers aim to prepare women for first childbirth, little research has explored retrospectively what birthing people would like to have known before first childbirth. To describe women's reports of what they would like to have known before first childbirth but feel they were not told. This is a secondary analysis of the First Baby Study, a large prospective cohort study conducted in Pennsylvania, USA. Telephone interviews were conducted with 3006 women 1 month after their first childbirth. Women were first asked: "Was there anything that you would have liked to have known before your delivery that you were not told?". If "yes" they were asked a second question: "Please tell me what you would have liked to have known before your delivery". A convergent mixed-methods analysis including descriptive analytics to compare characteristics of women by answers to the first question, and qualitative content analysis of women's open-ended answers to the second question. A total of 441 women (14.7%) reported there was something they would like to have known before their first childbirth. Women described that communication with care providers was their main concern. They would have liked a better understanding of their options before birth, more agency in decision-making, and more information about the topics of their body, their birth, their baby, and what to expect beyond birth. Results highlight important topics for childbirth education, and the impact of gaps in shared decision-making, patient-provider communication, and supportive care practices for first childbirth, especially where women have identified vulnerabilities.

Figurative language effect on consumer engagement: an empirical investigation for Turkish airline industry

Increasing consumer engagement (CE) on social networks is one of marketing problems that brands face in today’s competitive environment. Although prior studies on this concept suggested that content strategies have essential role in improving CE, little is known about figurative language effect. Thus, a novel model and research design to examine how the use of figurative language influence CE behavior on Facebook were proposed. Drawing on Encoding/Decoding Model and brand-consumer communication studies, the 1687 brand posts of Turkish airline Facebook pages with Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) models were analyzed. The findings indicate that several types of figurative languages (idioms, personifications, and similes) are related to the various CE levels (likes, shares, and comments). The findings of this study give tips for understanding the role of figurative language, reshaping engagement level, and redesigning branded content in marketing communication practices on social networks. The experimental model that provides some clues to reconsider online communication strategies across CE based on figurative language is presented.

Evaluating Multi-Jurisdictional Enteric Illness Outbreak Messaging in Canada: A Content Analysis of Public Health Notices

ABSTRACT Effective risk communication during enteric illness outbreaks requires the provision of clear and consistent information to diverse audiences to reduce risk of exposure, inform behavior changes, and prevent illness. Most enteric illnesses are caused by pathogens transmitted through consumption of contaminated food or water, contact with animals, or person-to-person contact. When multi-jurisdictional outbreaks occur, the Public Health Agency of Canada posts web-based Public Health Notices (PHNs) to inform Canadians. This study evaluated the comprehensibility of PHNs to optimize federal risk communication approaches. Publicly available web-based PHNs (n = 42) from 2014–2022 were obtained. A codebook was developed using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Clear Communication Index (CCI) and Health Belief Model (HBM) and systematically applied. A SMOG readability calculator was used to determine reading grade level. Descriptive statistics were calculated to summarize coded data. The average reading grade level was above Grade 12 (13.9 ± 1.1). PHNs communicated the nature of the risk (100%) and behavioral recommendations (96.5%) clearly. An active voice was sometimes used (61.9%), but numerical information was less commonly presented using best practices (38.1%). The HBM was fully incorporated in seven PHNs, with most PHNs using five of six constructs (66.7%). PHNs shared similar information in a consistent order (75.0%). Aligning PHNs to best practices in risk communication is recommended, including writing content at a reading grade level that supports comprehension by diverse audiences, following the CCI to increase clarity, including all HBM constructs to promote behavior change, and maintaining message consistency.

Preserving the Latvian Language Abroad: Personal Narratives and Institutional Support

Despite the widespread distribution of Latvians globally, the importance of heritage language for cultural connectivity remains underexplored. This study explores the preservation of the Latvian language among diaspora communities, employing linguistic autoethnography, participant observation, and communication analysis to examine the interplay between individual experiences and institutional support in maintaining cultural identity. Drawing from the author’s bilingual Latvian–Lithuanian background and based on the example of a mixed Latvian–Lithuanian family living in Finland, the study highlights the role of the family strategy in using languages at home, the role of grandparents, as well as heritage tourism, music, and arts in strengthening cultural ties. Through linguistic autoethnography, the article captures the essence of personal and collective efforts to sustain the Latvian language. Participant observation in diasporan activities and analysis of communicative practices reveal how diasporan Latvians actively engage in preserving their linguistic heritage. The Latvian Language Agency’s initiatives, including supporting language schools abroad, publishing educational resources, and organizing summer camps, are critically examined. The study advocates for a unified approach that combines personal commitment and structured support, emphasizing the crucial role of both in the vibrancy of the Latvian language abroad.

Artificial Intelligence in Higher Education : A Literature Snapshot

In Artificial Intelligence, “Artificial” means objects that are produced by human beings, and “Intel ligence” is the capability to form tactics to achieve goals by interacting with huge information. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is evolving rapidly in higher education, and various AI applications have been developed to solve some of the most pressing problems that higher education field currently face. The use of Artificial Intelligence or AI is rising in higher education. With this rise, the morality of AI programs is being questioned Higher education is crucial for producing ethical citizens and profess ionals globally. The introduction of generative AI (GenAI), such as ChatGPT, has posed opportunities and challenges to the traditional model of education. However, the current conversations primarily focus on policy development and assessment, with limited research on the future of higher education.AI - powered language tools (AILTs) are commonly used by university students, yet there is a limited understanding of how students utilize and perceive these tools in everyday academic communication practice. Following the very recent launch of the ChatGPT, chatbot, numerous comments and speculations were posted concerning the potential aspects of society that are expected to benefit from this AI revolution. This paper addresses some of the most fundamental questions about the role, position, and implications of ChatGPT and generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools amidst the evolving landscape of higher education and modern society.AI education aims to teach AI concepts, essential knowledge, and skills related to the fundamental ideas in AI. The affordances of artificial intelligence (AI) have not been totally utilized in education. To effectively integrate AI into education, teachers’ AI - specific technological and pedagogical knowledge is important.

Hands labouring for safety: Mediated intimacy in influencer communities on Instagram

AbstractThe article explores how digital images of hands are used as a symbolic representation of intimacy and intimate emotions in influencer communication on Instagram. Based on digital ethnography with female influencers in the Czech Republic, the analysis focuses on three categories of communicative practices, where hands function as a visual representation of intimacy—creating community, a sense of vulnerability, and the notion of rawness and openness. The analysis points to the gendered nature of influencer communication. It explores how intimacy is established specifically by women influencers who need to navigate vulnerability with the need to protect themselves against gender‐based online violence in the form of hate comments and sexualized hate speech.

Communication Practices for Families With Languages Other Than English in US Neonatal Care Units.

The lack of provision of culturally and linguistically appropriate services (CLAS) to families with languages other than English (LOE) is a highly modifiable driver of health care inequities. In a nationally representative sample of level 2 to 4 US NICUs, we examined patterns and predictors of communication practices for families with LOE and ascertained clinical leaders' beliefs about barriers to CLAS provision. We surveyed clinical leaders from 500 randomly selected US NICUs. Responses were weighted by the number of eligible NICUs per region and nonresponse rates. Outcomes included: consistent parental language documentation (≥75% of the time versus <75%) and consistent professional interpreter use (in-person or remote interpretation ≥75% of the time versus <75%). We used logistic regression to examine the associations of predictors (region, hospital characteristics, and the proportion of racial and ethnic minority and families with LOE served) with outcomes. The overall response rate was 34%. A total of 63% of NICUs collected parental language data consistently, and 41% used interpreters consistently. Patterns of interpreter use varied by service hours and type of communication event. Teaching status, highest level of neonatal care, and larger NICU size were associated with consistent language documentation. Only a larger NICU size was associated with consistent interpreter use. Barriers to CLAS provision included untimely access to interpreter services and suboptimal quality of certain interpretation modalities. Implementation guidance, accountability for compliance with existing mandates, and interventions tailored to the NICU context are needed to reduce linguistic disparities.

Proposing surgery at the prosthetic clinic: managing patient resistance

ObjectiveInvestigating doctors’ communicative practices for recommending surgery to amputees when the proposal counters patients’ expectation. MethodConversation Analysis of 77 videorecorded medical consultations at an Italian prosthesis clinic. ResultsCompared to the direct format doctors used to prescribe prosthesis, when suggesting surgery doctors adopted a more circuitous, indirect approach. They used a range of communication strategies, orientating to patients’ likely resistance – indeed, patients were frequently observed to reject surgical options. ConclusionsConsidering patients’ expectations is part of a patient centred approach, hence the cautious ways in which doctors introduce the option of surgery. Moreover, doctors do not pursue recommending surgery when patients display their reluctance or resistance. Practice implicationsDoctors in prosthetics clinics might adopt a more balanced communicative strategy that takes into account patients’ perspectives, concerns and expectations, whilst but also providing patients with the necessary information to collaborate meaningfully to decision making.

Strategy Texts as Auto-Communication: How Narrative, Language, and Visual Symbolism Exercise Discursive Control

ABSTRACT Strategy texts are an important way of communicating a strategy to a range of different stakeholders, including internal audiences as the organization communicates with itself (auto-communication). In this article, we analyze two related strategy texts that were produced for auto-communicative purposes as part of a strategic change initiative in a UK organization that employed a storytelling approach to strategic communication. Our multimodal analysis shows how narrative, visual symbolism and directive lexical choices and grammatical forms used in the two strategy texts exercise discursive control using three main mechanisms: (1) encouraging action through future-focused narrative structure; (2) strengthening emotional attachment with the organization through purposeful selection of anecdotes from a shared stock of stories; and (3) defining desired actions and behaviours through visual symbolism and directive lexical choices and grammatical forms. Moreover, the article contributes to current debates of the nature of strategic communication by demonstrating the tension between linear and dialogic communication in practice, while also providing rare empirical insights on the use of auto-communication in contemporary strategic communication.

The Role of Alcohol in Initial Help-Seeking Telephone Calls About Domestic Violence to the Police.

This article investigates how domestic violence and abuse (DVA), its underreporting and its links with alcohol consumption, manifest in and impact the outcome of help-seeking telephone calls to U.K.-based police services. Conversation analysis of call-takers' questions about alcohol found that they either (a) focused only on the perpetrator's drinking, and occurred after informing callers that help was being dispatched, or (b) targeted both victims' and perpetrators' drinking and complicated the decisions to dispatch police assistance. The article helps specify the communicative practices that may constitute victims' negative experiences of disclosing DVA to the police.

Addressing issues of (linguistic) vulnerability in researching UK asylum-related advice contexts: reflections on practice

ABSTRACT In this paper, we reflect on efforts to address (linguistic) vulnerability in two separate UK-based research projects examining communicative practices in immigration advice-giving. The first project investigated communication in legal advice meetings with asylum seekers and refugees. The second examined communication processes in casework with asylum seekers considering repatriation. We explore how we each approached ethical dimensions of involving multilingual migrant participants in research, connecting our experiences with theorisations of vulnerability. We highlight how several different dimensions of vulnerability, including linguistic vulnerability, were intertwined in our projects, and how gatekeepers were instrumental in making decisions about the vulnerability of participants.

The Impact of Linguistic Diversity on Intercultural Communication in Nigerian Organizations: A Review

Nigeria stands out globally for its profound cultural and linguistic diversity, encompassing over 500 distinct languages. Among these, the Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo languages serve as predominant, with several hundred others classified as minority languages. This diversity not only reflects the country’s ethnic richness but also presents unique challenges and opportunities in organizational settings. However, this study examines deeply into the challenges and opportunities presented by Nigeria’s linguistic diversity within organizational contexts. It explores how language barriers impact daily interactions, teamwork, and overall organizational effectiveness. Drawing from a thorough review of scholarly literature sourced from reputable databases like Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, and ResearchGate, the study identifies prevalent issues and examines potential solutions. By addressing these complexities, the study aims to offer a comprehensive framework for understanding the elaborate dynamics of intercultural communication shaped by linguistic diversity in Nigeria. It emphasizes the critical need for proactive strategies that embrace diversity as a driver of innovation, collaboration, and sustainable organizational growth in today’s interconnected global business landscape. The findings underline the importance of fostering inclusive communication practices, promoting cultural sensitivity, and enhancing language proficiency among employees to effectively navigate and leverage Nigeria’s diverse cultural milieu for organizational success.

AI and ethics: Investigating the first policy responses of higher education institutions to the challenge of generative AI

This article addresses the ethical challenges posed by generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in higher education and explores the first responses of universities to these challenges globally. Drawing on five key international documents from the UN, EU, and OECD, the study used content analysis to identify key ethical dimensions related to the use of generative AI in academia, such as accountability, human oversight, transparency, or inclusiveness. Empirical evidence was compiled from 30 leading universities ranked among the top 500 in the Shanghai Ranking list from May to July 2023, covering those institutions that already had publicly available responses to these dimensions in the form of policy documents or guidelines. The paper identifies the central ethical imperative that student assignments must reflect individual knowledge acquired during their education, with human individuals retaining moral and legal responsibility for AI-related wrongdoings. This top-down requirement aligns with a bottom-up approach, allowing instructors flexibility in determining how they utilize generative AI especially large language models in their own courses. Regarding human oversight, the typical response identified by the study involves a blend of preventive measures (e.g., course assessment modifications) and soft, dialogue-based sanctioning procedures. The challenge of transparency induced the good practice of clear communication of AI use in course syllabi in the first university responses examined by this study.

Influence of Organizational Security Learning Practices on Insider Security Threats in SoCs in Kenya

Insider threats have consistently been identified as key threats to State-owned Corporations and governments (SoCs). Research has shown that huge amounts of resources go towards safeguarding organizations’ assets and information systems from external threats in total disregard of potential threats from malicious and compromised insiders. Recent studies indicate that insider threats are on the rise and have cost the Kenyan economy $ 36Million USD. In addition, investigations show that these threats are increasing in scale, scope, and sophistication. The general objective of the study was to investigate on the organizational factors influencing insider security threats in State-owned Corporations in Kenya. Specifically, the study evaluated the influence of organizational security policies, organizational security learning practices and organizational communication practices on insider security threats in State-owned Corporations in Kenya. The study was anchored on the CISA Insider Threats Risk Score Model, deterrence theory, social learning theory and the communication privacy management theory. The study adopted descriptive correlational research design. The target population was 187 State-owned Corporations in Kenya. A census sampling design was used targeting the Security managers or their equivalent in SoCs. The researcher utilized a self-administered questionnaire as the data collection method. Data was analysed through quantitative techniques using the SPSS. The study established that organizational security policies have significant influence on insider security threats in SoCs in Kenya. The study also established that organizational security learning practices have significant influence on insider security threats in SoCs in Kenya. In addition, the study revealed that organizational communication practices have significant influence on insider security threats in SoCs in Kenya. The study also deduced that the combined influence of organizational security policies, learning practices and communication practices (organizational factors) significantly influence insider security threats in SoCs in Kenya. The study recommends that SoCs consider conducting a comprehensive review of their existing security policies, ensuring clarity on the severity of consequences for insider threats. Further, the study recommends that SoCs work on strengthening their learning policies to emphasize the importance of observational learning, role modeling, and positive reinforcement in the context of security awareness to address insider security threats. Additionally, the study recommends that SoCs provide training programs that emphasize effective communication practices surrounding privacy management.

Rethinking speaking in ELT: Where does intelligibility stand in the EFL classroom?

Learning a Foreign Language (FL) is, as a rule, seen by experts as a major asset for global understanding and the mobility of people. English is found at the top of the pyramid as the number one language to achieve these goals. Nowadays, being able to express oneself intelligibly in English is decisive for students who want to thrive both academically and professionally. Indeed, the concept of intelligibility is now firmly established in the field of Applied Linguistics as one of the key factors in explaining success or otherwise in communication between interlocutors from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Accordingly, the essence of this article lies in the analysis of the communicative teaching practices of EFL teachers in Portugal and how they reflect on the learners’ speaking proficiency and intelligibility. Findings show that English continues to be taught with little regard to its real-world use, creating a gap between the learners’ needs/expectations and their true learning. Overall, the article focuses on the need for a reconceptualisation of speaking within an intelligibility frame of mind. Thus, it poses a challenge to traditional approaches to language teaching and learning practices by claiming a need to rethink approaches to learners’ oral proficiency grounded in the intelligibility principle.

Framing interactivity in complex communication of debate talk show

Abstract The present study explores how disagreement space is managed in a multiparty argumentative activity of debate talk show that focuses on the political situation in Belarus. The communicative activity under study is viewed as a type of difficult conversation that takes place between two groups that differ in their ideologies (Ellis 2020). In particular, drawing on the polylogical framework of argumentation (Lewiński and Aakhus 2023) and communication design approach (Aakhus 2007), the study investigates the communicative practice of framing that the moderators and the debaters use to shape disagreement space. The analysis shows that the activity is polylogical not just in a sense of positions, participants, and places (Lewiński and Aakhus 2023), but also in how argumentative activity is framed, which has consequences for how the interactivity is constructed and how disagreement space is managed in the course of interaction. It also shows how the interweaving of negative and positive features of communication add to the complexity of difficult interaction.

Effective Patient Engagement in Private Healthcare Institutions in Riyadh: An Analysis of Management Strategies

The healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia is undergoing a remarkable transformation driven by factors such as population growth and rising disposable income. This has led to a significant surge in demand for private healthcare services, particularly in major cities like Riyadh. While catering to the needs of a growing patient base, there is an urgent need to ensure patient-centered care to enhance service quality and satisfaction. Multiple research studies have affirmed the positive impact of patient engagement. Studies consistently demonstrate that patients actively involved in their healthcare decisions experience improved quality of life, better adherence to treatment, and reduced hospital readmission rates. This ultimately leads to improved health outcomes and reduced overall healthcare costs. Despite these well-established benefits, many private healthcare institutions in Riyadh struggle to effectively integrate patient engagement strategies into their practices. This implementation gap necessitates a deeper understanding of the factors influencing these efforts. This study aims to address this pressing need by investigating the factors affecting patient engagement initiatives within private healthcare institutions in Riyadh. The study will explore the influence of three key domains: Digital Technology: The increasing reliance on digital tools in healthcare holds the potential to revolutionize patient engagement. This study will explore how technology platforms, telemedicine applications, and patient portals can facilitate patient engagement. Organizational Leadership: Leadership plays a pivotal role in fostering a patient-centered care culture. This research will examine how leadership styles, commitment to patient engagement, and resource allocation impact patient engagement initiatives. Organizational Culture: The overall culture of a healthcare institution significantly influences patient interactions. This study will explore how factors such as communication practices, staff training, and patient empowerment within the organizational culture shape patient engagement. By examining these three domains, the study aims to provide valuable insights into the factors that influence patient engagement in private healthcare settings in Riyadh. The findings will contribute to the development of effective strategies for enhancing patient engagement and improving overall healthcare quality.