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Recipients' perspective on breaking bad news: how you put it really makes a difference
Marianne Schmid Mast1, Annette Kindlimann, Wolf Langewitz
1Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Social and Health Psychology, Rämistrasse 66, CH-8001 Zürich, Switzerland. m.schmidmast@psychologie.unizh.ch
Patient Education and Counseling
|August 6, 2005
Summary
Physician communication style significantly impacts patient perception and satisfaction when delivering bad news. A patient-centered approach yields the most positive outcomes for patients receiving difficult diagnoses.
Area of Science:
- Medical Communication
- Psychology
- Oncology
Background:
- Physician communication during bad news delivery is crucial.
- Patient perception, satisfaction, and emotional state are influenced by communication style.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of different physician communication styles on patient perception.
- To assess patient satisfaction and emotional responses following bad news delivery.
Main Methods:
- 159 female students role-played as patients receiving a breast cancer diagnosis.
- Participants viewed videos of three distinct physician communication styles: patient-centered, disease-centered, and emotion-centered.
Main Results:
- Communication styles significantly affected physician perception, patient satisfaction, and emotional outcomes.
- Patient-centered communication led to perceptions of greater physician empathy, availability, and hope, alongside higher satisfaction and fewer negative emotions.
Conclusions:
- A patient-centered communication style is most beneficial for patients receiving bad news.
- Findings offer practical guidance for physicians on effective bad news delivery.