Communicating with patients who have psychiatric problems.

Psychiatric or emotional problems may become barriers to effective communication. These barriers may include factors that the physician cannot control, factors that can be controlled and factors that stem directly from psychopathology. External factors include language differences or hearing impairment. Internal factors generally stem from prejudices, maladaptive attitudes or misinformation on the part of the physician. All of these barriers must be surmounted in the interest of enhancing patient care.