Can Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences (VR-CoDES) be applied to standardized Chinese medical...

To investigate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of VR-CoDES.

The VR-CoDES was translated into Chinese, and a focus group was held to discuss its cultural adaptation. Video consultations between 75 fourth-year medical students and 2 standardized patients (SPs) were coded by two raters with the Chinese VR-CoDES. Inter-rater reliability was tested by using ICC. To obtain validity, the SPs reviewed the video consultations to confirm the cues and concerns.

ICC was 0.79. Specificity and sensitivity were 0.99 and 0.96 respectively. The SPs expressed considerably more cues (mean = 7.00) than concerns (mean = 0.32). Half of the responses of medical students were explicit reducing space. Focus group participants raised some cultural considerations, and some interactions were difficult to code due to cultural differences.

The Chinese VR-CoDES obtained good reliability and validity. Due to differences in the expression of emotions and other differences such as different medical systems between China and Western countries, the Chinese VR-CoDES needs further cultural adaptation.

More consultations in real clinical settings need to be gathered to further support the Chinese VR-CoDES both on validation and cultural adaptation.