Effectiveness of assertive communication training programs for health professionals and students: a systematic review...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Communication
• Professional Development
• Medical Education

Background:

• Effective communication is crucial for patient safety and quality healthcare.
• Assertiveness training aims to enhance health professionals' ability to express themselves clearly and confidently.
• Existing evidence on the impact of these programs requires systematic synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize evidence on the effectiveness of assertive communication training programs in healthcare.
• To evaluate the impact of these interventions on health professionals' and students' assertiveness levels.
• To assess changes in communication competence and clinician behaviors following training.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across multiple databases.
• Appraisal of evidence quality using established criteria.
• Synthesis of findings from included studies.

Main Results:

• Assertive communication training demonstrates positive effects on assertiveness.
• Improvements in communication competence are observed post-intervention.
• Evidence suggests a potential impact on clinician behaviors, though further research may be needed.

Conclusions:

• Assertive communication training is a valuable tool for enhancing healthcare professionals' skills.
• These programs contribute to improved communication competence and potentially better clinical practice.
• Further high-quality research is warranted to fully elucidate the impact on specific clinician behaviors.