Communicating the diagnosis of cancer or depression
- Background
Communicating a diagnosis is highly important, yet complex, especially in the context of cancer and mental disorders. The aim was to explore the communication style of an oncologist vs. psychotherapist in an online study.
Methods
Patients (N = 136: 65 cancer, 71 depression) were randomly assigned to watch a standardized video vignette with one of two communication styles (empathic vs. unempathic). Outcome measures of affectivity, information recall, communication skills, empathy and trust were applied.
Results
Regardless of diagnosis, empathic communication was associated with the perception of a significantly more empathic (p < 0.001, η2partial = 0.08) and trustworthy practitioner (p = 0.014, η2partial = 0.04) with better communication skills (p = 0.013, η2partial = 0.05). Cancer patients reported a larger decrease in positive affect (p < 0.001, η2partial = 0.15) and a larger increase in negative affect (p < 0.001, η2partial = 0.14) from pre- to post-video than depressive patients. Highly relevant information wasBackground
Communicating a diagnosis is highly important, yet complex, especially in the context of cancer and mental disorders. The aim was to explore the communication style of an oncologist vs. psychotherapist in an online study.
Methods
Patients (N = 136: 65 cancer, 71 depression) were randomly assigned to watch a standardized video vignette with one of two communication styles (empathic vs. unempathic). Outcome measures of affectivity, information recall, communication skills, empathy and trust were applied.
Results
Regardless of diagnosis, empathic communication was associated with the perception of a significantly more empathic (p < 0.001, η2partial = 0.08) and trustworthy practitioner (p = 0.014, η2partial = 0.04) with better communication skills (p = 0.013, η2partial = 0.05). Cancer patients reported a larger decrease in positive affect (p < 0.001, η2partial = 0.15) and a larger increase in negative affect (p < 0.001, η2partial = 0.14) from pre- to post-video than depressive patients. Highly relevant information was recalled better in both groups (p < 0.001, d = 0.61–1.06).
Conclusions
The results highlight the importance of empathy while communicating both a diagnosis of cancer and a mental disorder. Further research should focus on the communication of a mental disorder in association with cancer.…
Author details: | Franziska KühneORCiDGND, Henriette Fauth, Destina Sevde Ay-BrysonORCiDGND, Leonie N.C. VisserORCiD, Florian WeckORCiDGND |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.4396 |
ISSN: | 2045-7634 |
Pubmed ID: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34747132 |
Title of parent work (English): | Cancer medicine |
Subtitle (English): | Results of a randomized controlled online study using video vignettes |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Place of publishing: | Hoboken, New Jersey, USA |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of first publication: | 2021/11/08 |
Publication year: | 2021 |
Release date: | 2023/03/07 |
Tag: | consultation; mental health; oncology; psycho-oncology; skills |
Volume: | 10 |
Issue: | 24 |
Number of pages: | 10 |
First page: | 9012 |
Last Page: | 9021 |
Funding institution: | University of Potsdam's Central Research Support |
Funding number: | PA 2022_113 |
Organizational units: | Extern / Extern |
Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Strukturbereich Kognitionswissenschaften / Department Psychologie | |
DDC classification: | 6 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften / 61 Medizin und Gesundheit / 610 Medizin und Gesundheit |
Peer review: | Referiert |
Grantor: | Publikationsfonds der Universität Potsdam |
Publishing method: | Open Access / Gold Open-Access |
DOAJ gelistet | |
License (German): | ![]() |
External remark: | Zweitveröffentlichung in der Schriftenreihe Zweitveröffentlichungen der Universität Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe ; 817 |