value of empathy in dietetic consultations. A pilot study to investigate its effect on satisfaction, autonomy and agreement

• Published in: Journal of human nutrition and dietetics Vol. 18; no. 3; pp. 181 - 185
• Main Authors: Goodchild, C.E, Skinner, T.C, Parkin, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Ltd 01.06.2005; Blackwell Science; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Attitude of Health Personnel; Biological and medical sciences; communication; communication (human); Counseling - standards; diabetes; diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus - therapy; diet counseling; dietetics; Dietetics - standards; emotions; Empathy; Endocrine glands; Female; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; patient care; patients; Personal Autonomy; Pilot Projects; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Referral and Consultation; satisfaction; Surveys and Questionnaires; United Kingdom; Endocrinopathy; Human; Questionnaire; Diabetes mellitus; Satisfaction; Empathy; Dietician; Diet therapy; dietetics; Consultation; Autonomy; diabetes; Communication
• ISSN: 0952-3871; 1365-277X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-277X.2005.00606.x

Forty individuals with diabetes and three dietitians completed a questionnaire concerning their consultation. Empathy was examined using the Empathic Communication Coding System (ECCS) (Bylund & Makoul, 2002). The more empathic the professionals' response to emotional opportunities, the more satisfied patients were with their consultations (r = 0.41, d.f. = 15, P = 0.05). There was a nonsignificant trend that the more empathic opportunities that arise during a consultation, the higher the agreement between patient and dietitian on what was discussed (r = 0.28, P = 0.07). The data also suggest that patients reported more autonomy support when they created more empathic opportunities during their consultation (r = -0.29, P = 0.07). This preliminary study suggests that professionals' responses to empathic opportunities may be a useful component of dietetic consultations.