Does psychological characteristic influence physic

Authors: Yves Libert Isabelle Merckaert Christine Reynaert Nicole Delvaux Serge Marchal AnneMarie Etienne Jacques Boniver Jean Klastersky Pierre Scalliet JeanLouis Slachmuylder Darius Razavi

Publish Date: 2005/07/29

Volume: 14, Issue: 3, Pages: 230-242

PDF Link

Abstract

Our aim was to test the hypothesis that in interviews with a cancer patient and a relative physicians with an “external” locus of control LOC who believe that life outcomes are controlled by external forces such as luck fate or others have a communication style different from that of physicians with an “internal” LOC who believe that life outcomes are controlled by their own characteristics or actionsPhysicians’ communication skills were assessed using the Cancer Research Campaign Workshop Evaluation Manual Physicians’ LOC was assessed using the Rotter I–E scale The communication skills of the upper and lower quartiles of physicians in respect of their scores on this scale were compared using Student’s t testIn actual interviews physicians with an “external” LOC talked more to the relative P=0017 and used more utterances with an assessment function P=0010 than physicians with an “internal” LOC In simulated interviews physicians with an “external” LOC used less utterances that give premature information P=0031 and used more utterances with a supportive function such as empathy and reassurance P=0029 than physicians with an “internal” LOCThese results provide evidence that physicians’ LOC can influence their communication styles Physicians’ awareness of this influence constitutes a step towards a tailoring of their communication skills to every patient’s and relative’s concerns and needs and thus towards a patientcentred communicationThis research program was supported by the “Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique—Section Télévie” of Belgium the “Fonds d’Encouragement à la Recherche de l’Université Libre de Bruxelles” Brussels Belgium and the CAM Training and Research Group Brussels BelgiumWe thank the physicians patients and their relatives who participated in the study For their contribution to the training program we thank Darius Razavi Nicole Delvaux and Serge Marchal For their contribution to the data collection we thank Laurence Dubus JeanFrançois Durieux and Angélique Moucheux For contributions to the data analyses we thank JeanLouis Slachmuylder For their contribution to the quality control of the transcripts and the rating of the interviews we thank Nicolas Beauloye Véronique Beddegenoots Youri Caels Anne Chevalier Caroline Dhozot Michel De Cock Christine Farvacques Emilie Harcq Sandrine Kranich Christophe Luthy Maggie Oda Fiona Roe and Fiona Vandenbossche We also thank Viviane De Beer Maria Del Pilar Pato Fernandez Fabienne Hubert Immaculée Mukarwego Françoise Odou Claudia Ortega and Monique Toussaint for the transcription of the interviews

Keywords: