Abstract (EN):
Objective: To assesstheeffectsofacommunicationskillsprogramonprofessionalpractitioners’
performanceandself-confidenceinclinicalinterviewing.
Methods: Twenty-fivehealthprofessionalstook3monthsofbasiccommunicationskillsfollowedby3
months ofadvancedcommunicationskills.Anadditionalquarterdealtwithself-awarenessand
communicationinspecialsituations.Participants’performanceswereevaluatedinclinicalinterviews
with standardizedpatientsbefore,duringandaftertheprogrambyexternalobserversandstandardized
patients,usingstandardizedinstruments.Participantsassessedtheirownconfidenceintheir
communicationskillsbeforeandaftertheprogram.DatawereanalysedusingGLMrepeated-measures
proceduresinSPSS.
Results: Basiccommunicationskillsandself-confidenceimprovedthroughoutthe6months;
competenciesdeclinedbutself-confidencecontinuedtoincrease4monthslater.Comparedwith
taking nocourse,differenceswerestatisticallysignificantafterthe6months(externalobserversonly)
and 4monthslater(externalobserversandparticipants).
Conclusion: The programeffectivelyimprovedcommunicationskills,althoughsignificantlyonlywhen
assessedbyexternalobservers.Fourmonthslater,effectsweresignificantincommunicationskills
(externalobservers),despitethedeclineandinself-confidence.
Practice implications: While periodicalenrollmentinprogramsforthepracticeofcommunicationskills
may helpmaintainperformance,moreknowledgeoncommunicationandself-awarenessmayenhance
self-confidence.
Language:
Portuguese
Type (Professor's evaluation):
Scientific