Patient communication pattern scale: psychometric characteristics.

Area of Science:

• Health Communication
• Patient-Centered Care
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Shared decision-making in Western healthcare emphasizes open doctor-patient communication.
• Existing research predominantly examines physician communication, neglecting patient communication patterns.
• A gap exists in validated tools for assessing patient communication behaviors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate the Patient Communication Pattern Scale (PCPS).
• To provide a tool for evaluating diverse patient communication styles.
• To facilitate research on patient communication in clinical encounters.

Main Methods:

• Conducted interviews with 251 cancer patients using structured questionnaires.
• Administered the 14-item Patient Communication Pattern Scale (PCPS).
• Included demographic and control variables (education, religiosity, desirability of control) for scale validation.

Main Results:

• The Patient Communication Pattern Scale (PCPS) demonstrated validity and reliability.
• Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed a five-facet structure: Information, Clarification, Initiation, Preferences, and Emotions.
• The PCPS effectively measures distinct aspects of patient communication.

Conclusions:

• The Patient Communication Pattern Scale (PCPS) is a reliable instrument for assessing patient communication.
• The PCPS can stimulate further research into patient communication dynamics.
• This scale can inform the development of interventions to enhance collaborative doctor-patient communication.