Communication Skills Training for Behavioral Disorders. However, if there's flexibility given that "Behavioral Disorders" does not accurately represent the focus of this study (which is more about professional development than treating a clinical condition), an alternative title could simply reflect on enhancing professional skills without specifying a condition: Communication Skills Training for Career Development in Biomedical Fields

Overseen By Carrie Cameron

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Disqualifiers: High school students

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Approved in 1 Jurisdiction This treatment is already approved in other countries

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial investigates how receiving instruction in communication skills affects short and long-term career outcomes for students, postdoctoral fellows, and future faculty. This may help researchers learn more about the factors that may help or block career goals and career persistence of trainees.

Do I need to stop my current medications to join the trial?

The trial protocol does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It focuses on communication skills training, not medical treatment.

What data supports the idea that Communication Skills Training for Behavioral Disorders is an effective treatment?

The available research shows that Communication Skills Training (CST) is effective in improving communication abilities in various medical fields, including psychiatry and oncology. For instance, a pilot program for psychiatry trainees improved their skills in discussing schizophrenia. Another study highlighted the importance of CST in psychiatric training, showing that it enhances communication, which is crucial for treating psychiatric conditions. Additionally, CST programs in oncology have been successful in improving interactions between doctors and patients, which suggests that similar training could be beneficial in other fields. Overall, these studies indicate that CST is effective in enhancing communication skills, which are essential for professional development in biomedical fields. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

What safety data exists for communication skills training?

The provided research does not directly address safety data for communication skills training. However, it suggests that communication skills training is widely incorporated into medical and psychiatric education, indicating its general acceptance and integration into professional development. The focus is on improving communication effectiveness rather than addressing safety concerns, implying that the training is considered safe and beneficial for professional skills enhancement. ^{1 2 4 6 7}

Is Communication Skills Training a promising treatment for career development in biomedical fields?

Yes, Communication Skills Training is a promising treatment for career development in biomedical fields because it helps improve how professionals interact with others, which is important for success in their careers. ^{1 2 4 6 8}

Research Team

Carrie Cameron

Principal Investigator

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for undergraduate, medical students, or early Master's/PhD students in a summer research program with daily supervision from junior mentors. Junior mentors can be Master's/PhD students, postdocs, or instructors supervising a student. High school students cannot participate.

Inclusion Criteria

FOR SUMMER STUDENTS: Currently an undergraduate, medical student, or early Master's or Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) level student who is participating in a structured summer research program and receiving daily research supervision from a junior mentor (defined as a Master's or PhD level graduate student, a postdoctoral fellow, or an instructor) within a faculty member's research team

FOR JUNIOR MENTORS: Currently a Master's or PhD student; postdoctoral trainee; or instructor working within a faculty member's research team and supervising a summer research student

Exclusion Criteria

I am a high school student.

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Communication Skills Training

Trial Overview The study examines the impact of communication skills training on career outcomes for trainees in biomedical fields. It includes educational interventions and surveys to understand factors influencing career persistence and goal achievement.

Participant Groups

Group I: Group I (communication workshops, video, surveys) Experimental Treatment 3 Interventions

Participants complete 2 communication workshops about conversational skills and development of a video about the summer student's research experience over 3 hours each during the second week of the summer research experience and 2-3 weeks before the conclusion of summer experience. Participants also complete surveys over 15 minutes each about their communication, their engagement with research, mentoring experience, and current career intentions, before participating in the workshop, after the second workshop and at 6 months after the conclusion of the summer experience.

Group II: Group II (generic communication workshops, surveys) Active Control 2 Interventions

Participants complete 2 generic communication workshops about networking and presentation skills over 3 hours each during the second week of the summer experience and 2-3 weeks before the conclusion of summer experience. Participants also complete surveys over 15 minutes each about their communication, their engagement with research, mentoring experience, and current career intentions, before participating in the workshop, after the second workshop and at 6 months after the conclusion of the summer experience.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,107

Recruited

1,813,000+

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Collaborator

Trials

14,080

Recruited

41,180,000+

Findings from Research

A pilot communication skills training program for psychiatry trainees significantly improved their confidence in discussing schizophrenia diagnosis and prognosis, with 38 participants reporting enhanced self-evaluation of their communication skills after the training.

Participants expressed high satisfaction with the training, indicating its potential effectiveness in bridging communication gaps between clinicians and patients with psychiatric disorders.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving clinician competency in communication about schizophrenia: a pilot educational program for psychiatry trainees. Loughland, C., Kelly, B., Ditton-Phare, P., et al.[2015]

Communication skills training in psychiatric specialty training has shown some positive effects, particularly in improving clinician empathy and psychotherapeutic interviewing skills, as evidenced by two randomized controlled trials.

However, the overall effectiveness of these training programs is difficult to assess due to the variety of training methods used and a lack of studies measuring actual behavior change or patient outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Communication skills in the training of psychiatrists: A systematic review of current approaches. Ditton-Phare, P., Loughland, C., Duvivier, R., et al.[2018]

Communication skills training for oncologists is essential for improving interactions with cancer patients, focusing on assessment, information sharing, and support to enhance both patient and staff quality of life.

Experiential and participative training techniques have proven effective, but challenges remain in maintaining and applying these skills in clinical practice over time.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Improving doctor's communication skills in oncology: review and future perspectives]. Libert, Y., Conradt, S., Reynaert, C., et al.[2009]

A training course in patient-centered interviewing significantly improved the performance of psychiatric residents, as evidenced by a structured analysis of their interviews with standardized patients (n=10) before and after the training.

Despite the improvement in performance, variability among residents increased post-training, suggesting that additional practice and supervision are needed to achieve consistent high-level interviewing skills.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The evaluation of training in patient-centred interviewing skills for psychiatric residents. Rimondini, M., Del Piccolo, L., Goss, C., et al.[2019]

A provider communication skills training (CST) program that included in-person coaching significantly improved patient satisfaction scores, increasing from 73.9% to 79.5% after the program.

The addition of coaching helped reinforce skills learned in CST workshops, leading to greater confidence among healthcare providers in applying these skills in clinical practice.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Individualized coaching in health system-wide provider communication training. Pedersen, K., Brennan, TMH., Nance, AD., et al.[2021]

Communication skills training in medical education should focus on clinical issues that are frequently encountered and have a significant impact on patient health, such as smoking and non-adherence to treatment.

The paper outlines seven criteria for selecting these issues, emphasizing the need for effective, cost-efficient interventions that are acceptable to both healthcare providers and patients.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effective teaching of communication skills for medical practice: selecting an appropriate clinical context. Sanson-Fisher, R., Cockburn, J.[2019]

Mental health clinicians often struggle to communicate distressing diagnoses, like schizophrenia, to patients and their families, indicating a need for improved communication skills training in psychiatry.

The paper proposes a new communication skills training framework for psychiatry, modeled after successful programs in oncology, to enhance clinicians' ability to convey complex information effectively.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Communication skills in psychiatry training. Ditton-Phare, P., Halpin, S., Sandhu, H., et al.[2015]

The elective course 'Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology' was developed to teach medical students about communication disorders, covering essential topics like hearing, language, and voice, along with practical exercises and patient examinations.

A survey showed that 94.2% of students found the course useful for their future studies, and all participants felt their expectations were met, highlighting the course's potential to enhance understanding of communication disorders in medical education.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development and evaluation of the new module 'communication disorders' in medical education. Deuster, D., am Zehnhoff-Dinnesen, A., Schmidt, CM., et al.[2014]

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Improving clinician competency in communication about schizophrenia: a pilot educational program for psychiatry trainees. [2015]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Communication skills in the training of psychiatrists: A systematic review of current approaches. [2018]

3. France pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

[Improving doctor's communication skills in oncology: review and future perspectives]. [2009]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The evaluation of training in patient-centred interviewing skills for psychiatric residents. [2019]

5. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Individualized coaching in health system-wide provider communication training. [2021]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effective teaching of communication skills for medical practice: selecting an appropriate clinical context. [2019]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Communication skills in psychiatry training. [2015]

8. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Development and evaluation of the new module 'communication disorders' in medical education. [2014]