How do paediatricians communicate with children and parents?

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Medicine
• Communication Studies
• Healthcare Interaction Analysis

Background:

• The outpatient clinic visit is central to pediatric healthcare.
• Recognizing children as active participants in medical consultations is increasingly important.
• Understanding the dynamics of doctor-parent-child communication is essential for effective care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and assess the communication patterns between doctors, parents, and children during pediatric outpatient visits.
• To quantify the contributions of each party to the consultation.
• To evaluate the relationship between communication behaviors and participant perceptions.

Main Methods:

• Audio recording and quantitative analysis of 51 pediatric clinic consultations.
• Administration of questionnaires to assess parents' and children's perceptions of the visit.
• Analysis of communication behaviors including turn-taking, instrumental, affective, and social exchanges.

Main Results:

• Doctors dominated consultations, contributing 61% of the conversation and 52% of turn-taking.
• Children's verbal contribution was limited to 4%, with only 3% seeking information.
• No significant correlation was found between communication behaviors and participant perceptions.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric consultations are largely instrumental, with doctors directing the interaction.
• Children's participation in outpatient visits is minimal and needs enhancement.
• A patient-centered approach requires actively encouraging children's involvement in their healthcare discussions.