Emotion language in primary care encounters: reliability and validity of an emotion word count coding system

To develop a reliable and valid computer coded measure to assess emotional expression from transcripts of physician-patient interactions.

Physician encounters with two standardized patients (SPs) were audiotaped. Fifty patients from each physician (n = 100 primary care physicians) completed surveys that assessed patients' perceptions of their relationships with physicians. Audio-recordings of 193 patient-physician encounters were transcribed and computer-coded to derive a percent emotion words, and research assistants completed the Measure of Patient-Centered Communication (MPCC).

After adjustment for potential confounders, regression analyses revealed physicians' use of emotion words and the MPCC contribute independently to patients' and SPs' perceptions of their relationship with physicians.

The computerized coding of emotion words shows promise as a reliable, valid, and simple method to code transcript data of physician-patient interactions. This method may be expanded to examine other aspects of physician language and does not require coder training.