Enhancing empathic skills in clinical practice: a linguistic approach
by Gabrina Pounds
International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion (IJWOE), Vol. 5, No. 2, 2012

Abstract: It is widely acknowledged that clinical empathy in medical consultation practice is instrumental in delivering positive patient outcomes [e.g., Hojat et al., 2002] and that (trainee) clinicians' use of empathy may be enhanced through appropriate sensitisation [e.g., Hojat, (2007), pp.181-182]. Different strategies have been used to promote the use of empathy but studies indicate that physicians still perceive "a gap in communication skills training particularly in managing emotional and behavioural reactions to patients" [Bonvicini et al., (2009), p.1]. Although some reference is made in current consultation skills manuals to the communicative dimensions of empathy, they do not provide a systematic overview of typical linguistic realisations and none of the existing rating scales focuses specifically and explicitly on verbal formulations. The aim of this paper is to discuss how a linguistic framework may be used to reinforce the teaching of empathy within current consultation skills training and thereby improve clinical practice.

Online publication date: Thu, 27-Nov-2014

The full text of this article is only available to individual subscribers or to users at subscribing institutions.

 
Existing subscribers:
Go to Inderscience Online Journals to access the Full Text of this article.

Pay per view:
If you are not a subscriber and you just want to read the full contents of this article, buy online access here.

Complimentary Subscribers, Editors or Members of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Work Organisation and Emotion (IJWOE):
Login with your Inderscience username and password:

    Username:        Password:         

Forgotten your password?


Want to subscribe?
A subscription gives you complete access to all articles in the current issue, as well as to all articles in the previous three years (where applicable). See our Orders page to subscribe.

If you still need assistance, please email subs@inderscience.com