Falkenstein Angelica, Tran Brandon, Ludi Daniel, Molkara Afshin, Nguyen Henry, Tabuenca Arnold, Sweeny Kate
Department of Psychology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, USA.
Department of Surgery, Riverside University Health System, Moreno Valley, CA, USA.
Ann Behav Med. 2016 Oct;50(5):664-677. doi: 10.1007/s12160-016-9792-x.
Numerous studies have described and evaluated communication in healthcare contexts, but these studies have focused on broad content and complex units of behavior. Growing evidence reveals the predictive power and importance of precise linguistic characteristics of communication.
This study aims to document characteristics, predictors, and correlates of word use within specific linguistic categories by physicians and patients during a healthcare visit.
Conversations between patients (n = 145) and their physician (n = 6) were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Linguistic Inquiry Word Count software. Patients also completed questionnaires prior to and immediately following the visit and (for a subset of patients) at a follow-up visit, which assessed patients' demographics, how much they liked the physician, and self-reported adherence. Physicians completed a questionnaire following the initial visit that assessed the patient's health status, the physician's optimism regarding the upcoming treatment, and satisfaction with the productivity of the visit.
Patients and physicians differed in the extent of their word use in key linguistic categories, while also maintaining significant linguistic synchrony. Demographic characteristics and health status predicted variability in patients' and physicians' word use, and word use predicted key visit outcomes. Most notably, patients liked their physician more when physicians used fewer negative emotion words and were less adherent when physicians used more singular first-person pronouns.
These findings reveal patterns in the way physicians speak to patients who vary in their demographic characteristics and health status and point to potentially fruitful targets for linguistic interventions with both physicians and patients.
众多研究已对医疗环境中的沟通进行了描述和评估，但这些研究聚焦于宽泛的内容和复杂的行为单元。越来越多的证据揭示了沟通中精确语言特征的预测能力和重要性。
本研究旨在记录医患在医疗就诊期间特定语言类别内词汇使用的特征、预测因素及相关因素。
使用语言查询词频软件对患者（n = 145）与其医生（n = 6）之间的对话进行录音、转录和分析。患者在就诊前、就诊后立即以及（部分患者）随访时完成问卷，问卷评估患者的人口统计学特征、对医生的喜爱程度以及自我报告的依从性。医生在初次就诊后完成一份问卷，评估患者的健康状况、医生对即将进行的治疗的乐观程度以及对就诊效率的满意度。
患者和医生在关键语言类别中的词汇使用程度存在差异，同时也保持着显著的语言同步性。人口统计学特征和健康状况预测了患者和医生词汇使用的变异性，而词汇使用预测了关键的就诊结果。最值得注意的是，当医生使用较少的负面情绪词汇时，患者对医生的喜爱程度更高；当医生使用较多的单数第一人称代词时，患者的依从性较低。
这些发现揭示了医生与具有不同人口统计学特征和健康状况的患者交谈方式中的模式，并指出了对医生和患者进行语言干预的潜在有效目标。
