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The evaluation of training in patient-centred interviewing skills for psychiatric residents

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 July 2009

M. Rimondini*
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine and Public Health, Section of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
L. Del Piccolo
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine and Public Health, Section of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
C. Goss
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine and Public Health, Section of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
M. Mazzi
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine and Public Health, Section of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
M. Paccaloni
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine and Public Health, Section of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
C. Zimmermann
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine and Public Health, Section of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
*
*Address for correspondence: M. Rimondini, Ph.D., Dipartimento di Medicina e Sanità Pubblica, Università di Verona, Policlinico G.B. Rossi, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134Verona, Italy. (Email: [email protected])

Abstract

Background

Communication skills are considered ‘core skills’ in the curriculum of psychiatry but studies evaluating the effectiveness of a time-limited training course in interviewing skills in psychiatry have remained rare. The aim was to assess the effectiveness of training in patient-centred interviewing on the interview performance of psychiatric residents.

Method

Psychiatric residents (n=10) each interviewed 12 different anonymized standardized patients (SPs), eight before and another four after training. SPs simulated psychiatric out-patients who attended for a first visit to the psychiatric out-patient clinic. The consultations were videotaped, transcribed and coded with a classification scheme developed for psychiatric consultations from which an interview performance index was derived. An interrupted time-series design and a segmented regression analysis with multilevel analysis explored the performance trend within the series of consultations.

Results

The regression model evidenced a horizontal slope at pre- and post-training, with a significant level change. These findings excluded the presence of a practice effect and indicated a significant effect of training. Performance variability between and within residents over the series of consultations increased at post-training.

Conclusions

The training improved patient-centred interviewing performance. More post-training exercise time and supervised practice are necessary to establish consistent performance patterns at a higher skill level.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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