The Art of Medicine: When praise is worth considering in a difficult conversation

• Published in: The Lancet (British edition) Vol. 376; no. 9744; pp. 866 - 867
• Main Authors: Back, Anthony L, Arnold, Robert M, Baile, Walter F, Edwards, Kelly A, Tulsky, James A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Limited 11.09.2010
• Subjects: Skills
• ISSN: 0140-6736; 1474-547X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61401-8

[...] we want to distinguish positive feedback given by educators on a trainee's behaviour from praise given by a clinician to a patient or family member about their intentions or efforts. Praise, used in the way we describe, can function by creating a small positive experience (a contrast to the negative experiences that many patients and families have with serious illness), and research in other contexts indicates that this kind of positivity can enable people to "broaden and build" their personal resources in facing a difficult situation. Praise can perform an important role in the patient-physician relationship, as a communication tool that explicitly recognises the work that patients and family members do to deal with illness.