Creating scripted video-vignettes in an experimental study on two empathic processes in oncology: Reflections on our experience

Creating and administering video vignettes for a study examining the communication of diagnostic uncertainty: methodological insights to improve accessibility for researchers and participants

BACKGROUND

Studying clinician-patient communication can be challenging, particularly when research seeks to explore cause-and-effect relationships. Video vignettes - hypothetical yet realistic scenarios - offer advantages to traditional observational approaches by enabling standardisation and manipulation of a clinician-patient encounter for assessment by participants. While published guidelines outline stages to create valid video vignette studies, constructing high quality vignettes which are accessible to a wide range of participants and feasible to produce within time and budget restraints remains challenging. Here, we outline our methods in creating valid video vignettes to study the communication of diagnostic uncertainty. We aim to provide practically useful recommendations for future researchers, and to prompt further reflection on accessibility issues in video vignette methodology.

METHODS

We produced four video vignettes for use in an online study examining the communication of diagnostic uncertainty. We followed established guidelines for vignette production, with specific consideration of how these might be applied pragmatically to save time and resources. Scripts were pilot-tested with 15 laypeople, and videos with 14 laypeople; pilot-testing involved both quantitative and qualitative analysis.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

We demonstrate the usefulness of existing guidelines, while also determining that vignette production need not necessarily be expensive or time-consuming to be valid. Our vignettes were filmed using an iPhone camera, and featured a physician rather than a professional actor; nonetheless, pilot-testing found them to be internally and externally valid for experimental use. We thus propose that if care is taken in initial script development and if pragmatic choices are made regarding filming techniques and pilot-testing, researchers can produce valid vignettes within reasonable time and budget restraints. We also suggest that existing research fails to critically examine the potential benefits and harms of online video vignette methodology, and propose that further research should consider how it can be adapted to be inclusive of those from underserved backgrounds.

CONCLUSIONS

Researchers creating video vignette studies can adapt the video vignette development process to suit time and budget constraints, and to make best use of available technology. Online methods may be harnessed to increase participant accessibility, but future research should explore more inclusive vignette design.

Comment mener une recherche interventionnelle en psycho-oncologie ? Développement, évaluation et implémentation en pratique clinique

Cet article a pour objectif de décrire les méthodes pouvant être utilisées pour développer, évaluer et implémenter en pratique clinique de nouvelles interventions en psycho-oncologie. Pour cela, deux modèles de référence à l’international sont présentés afin d’apporter un éclairage scientifique aux différents acteurs impliqués dans ces recherches. Ce travail concerne cliniciens, chercheurs, acteurs institutionnels et patients ; cela afin de développer de nouveaux projets utilisant une rigueur méthodologique et d’intérêt pour améliorer les conditions des patients et des proches.