Communication skills in psychiatry training

Speech processing in voice-hearers: Bridging the gap between empirical research and clinical implications

Individuals who hear voices (i.e. auditory verbal hallucinations) have been reported to exhibit a range of difficulties when listening to and processing the speech of other people. These speech processing challenges are observed even in the absence of hearing voices; however, some appear to be exacerbated during periods of acute symptomology. In this advisory piece, key findings from pertinent empirical research into external speech processing in voice-hearers are presented with the intention of informing healthcare professionals. It is the view that through a better understanding of the speech processing deficits faced by individuals who hear voices, more effective communication with such patients can be had.

ComPsych communication skills training: Applicability of simulated patients in psychiatry communication skills training

OBJECTIVE

Communication skills training (CST) programs within postgraduate psychiatry training are rare. ComPsych CST utilises simulated patients (SPs) for trainees to practice communication skills for discussing severe mental illness with patients and their families/carers. This study examined the applicability of using SPs in a psychiatry-specific CST.

METHODS

A total of 41 postgraduate psychiatry trainees attended at least one of four modules of training in their cohort year and completed a questionnaire after each module presenting eight questions rating the use of SPs and ratings of course deliverables.

RESULTS

Overall, trainees rated contact with SPs very highly across all modules, with a mean rating of 9.11 out of 10 (SD = 0.97). Trainees agreed that SPs appeared authentic, that their reactions showed they listened to the trainee.

CONCLUSIONS

Trainees valued training with SPs, providing evidence that using SPs for psychiatry-specific CST is feasible. Despite subjectivity, this is valuable to course providers as it highlights benefits perceived by trainees to be useful and provides further evidence for the program's feasibility and utility.

Does ComPsych Communication Skills Training Alter Trainee Self-Efficacy?

OBJECTIVE

ComPsych communication skills training is designed to teach psychiatry trainees effective skills and strategies for undertaking key communication tasks relating to mental illness, such as schizophrenia, with patients and their families/carers. This study examined the program's feasibility, utility, and trainees' self-efficacy.

METHODS

Trainee cohorts attending their first year formal education course were recruited annually over 4 years between 2015 and 2018. Each trainee attended at least one session of training in their cohort year. Trainees completed a questionnaire presenting questions about personal demographics, their perceived confidence in communication, and the effectiveness of elements of training delivery. A total of 41 trainee psychiatrists (15 male) completed the questionnaires presented at four time points (two pre-training and two post-training).

RESULTS

Participants reported a significant increase in confidence in their own communication skills post-training (d = 1.12) and rated elements of training delivery (video feedback, feedback from peers in small groups, small group facilitation, and use of simulated patients) as significantly more helpful or effective post-training (d = 0.42). Trainees also reported a significantly increased ability to critically evaluate their own communication skills post-training (d = 0.59), suggesting an increased ability to recognize their own communication skill competence.

CONCLUSIONS

Following ComPsych training, trainees were more confident discussing information about schizophrenia with patients and their families/carers and were more able to critically evaluate their own communication skills: an important feature of good clinical acumen. These subjective ratings provide important self-efficacy information, including the benefits perceived and evidence of the program's feasibility and utility.

A Combined Digital and Biomarker Diagnostic Aid for Mood Disorders (the Delta Trial): Protocol for an Observational Study

Background

Mood disorders affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide, imposing a substantial medical and economic burden. Existing diagnostic methods for mood disorders often result in a delay until accurate diagnosis, exacerbating the challenges of these disorders. Advances in digital tools for psychiatry and understanding the biological basis of mood disorders offer the potential for novel diagnostic methods that facilitate early and accurate diagnosis of patients.

Objective

The Delta Trial was launched to develop an algorithm-based diagnostic aid combining symptom data and proteomic biomarkers to reduce the misdiagnosis of bipolar disorder (BD) as a major depressive disorder (MDD) and achieve more accurate and earlier MDD diagnosis.

Methods

Participants for this ethically approved trial were recruited through the internet, mainly through Facebook advertising. Participants were then screened for eligibility, consented to participate, and completed an adaptive digital questionnaire that was designed and created for the trial on a purpose-built digital platform. A subset of these participants was selected to provide dried blood spot (DBS) samples and undertake a World Health Organization World Mental Health Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Inclusion and exclusion criteria were chosen to maximize the safety of a trial population that was both relevant to the trial objectives and generalizable. To provide statistical power and validation sets for the primary and secondary objectives, 840 participants were required to complete the digital questionnaire, submit DBS samples, and undertake a CIDI.

Results

The Delta Trial is now complete. More than 3200 participants completed the digital questionnaire, 924 of whom also submitted DBS samples and a CIDI, whereas a total of 1780 participants completed a 6-month follow-up questionnaire and 1542 completed a 12-month follow-up questionnaire. The analysis of the trial data is now underway.

Conclusions

If a diagnostic aid is able to improve the diagnosis of BD and MDD, it may enable earlier treatment for patients with mood disorders.

International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)

DERR1-10.2196/18453

A New Competency-Based Instrument to Assess Resident Knowledge and Self-Efficacy in Primary Palliative Care

CONTEXT

There is a need to improve both primary palliative care (PPC) education and its assessment in graduate medical education (GME). We developed an instrument based on published palliative care (PC) competencies to assess resident competency and educational interventions.

OBJECTIVES

To describe the development and psychometric properties of a novel, competency-based instrument to measure resident knowledge and self-efficacy in PPC.

METHODS

We created a 2-part instrument comprised of a knowledge test (KT) and a self-efficacy inventory (SEI) addressing 18 consensus, core PC resident competencies across 5 domains: pain and symptom management; communication; psychosocial, spiritual, and cultural aspects of care; terminal care and bereavement; and PC principles and practice. The instrument was distributed to 341 internal medicine residents during academic years 2015 to 2016 and 2016 to 2017. A standard item analysis was performed on the KT. Internal consistency (Cronbach α) and variable relationships (factor analysis) were measured for the SEI.

RESULTS

One hundred forty-four residents completed the survey (42% response). For 15 KT items, difficulty ranged from 0.17 to 0.98, with 7 items ranging 0.20 to 0.80 (typical optimum difficulty); discrimination ranged from 0.03 to 0.60 with 10 items ≥0.27 (good to very good discrimination). Cronbach α was 0.954 for 35 SEI items. Factor analysis of combined 2015 to 2016 items yielded 4 factors explaining the majority of variance for the entire set of variables.

CONCLUSION

Our instrument demonstrates promising psychometric properties and reliability in probing the constructs of PC and can be further utilized in PC GME research to assess learners and evaluate PPC educational interventions.

Psychological resilience in people experiencing schizophrenia and suicidal thoughts and behaviours

Background: Negative stressors can aggravate the impact of schizophrenia. However, some people find ways of combating such stressors. There is a dearth of research examining factors which enable individuals with schizophrenia to show psychological resilience.Aims: The goal of this study was to investigate resilience to negative stressors in people with disorders on the schizophrenia spectrum using a qualitative methodology.Methods: Data were collected from 23 participants who had experienced schizophrenia and suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Semi-structured interviews followed a topic guide. Participants were asked (i) what resilience meant to them, (ii) which stressors they had experienced over 12 months and (iii) how they had counteracted those stressors. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify re-occurring themes across interviews.Results: A continuum of psychological mechanisms described participants' views about the meaning of resilience which ranged from passive acceptance to resistance (e.g. withstanding pressure), and then to active strategies to counter stressors (e.g. confronting). These themes were also evident in narratives expressing personal resilience strategies but, additionally, included emotional coping techniques. External factors were highlighted that supported resilience including social support, reciprocity and religious coping.Conclusions: People with schizophrenia develop ways of being resilient to negative events which should inform therapeutic interventions.

Pilot Evaluation of a Communication Skills Training Program for Psychiatry Residents Using Standardized Patient Assessment

OBJECTIVE

Mental health clinicians can experience difficulties communicating diagnostic information to patients and their families/carers, especially about distressing psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. There is evidence for the effectiveness of communication skills training (CST) for improving diagnostic discussions, particularly in specialties such as oncology, but only limited evidence exists about CST for psychiatry. This study evaluated a CST program specifically developed for psychiatry residents called ComPsych that focuses on conveying diagnostic and prognostic information about schizophrenia.

METHOD

The ComPsych program consists of an introductory lecture, module booklets for trainees, and exemplary skills videos, followed by small group role-plays with simulated patients (SPs) led by a trained facilitator. A standardized patient assessment (SPA) was digitally recorded pre- and post-training with a SP using a standardized scenario in a time-limited (15 min) period. Recorded SPAs were independently rated using a validated coding system (ComSkil) to identify frequency of skills used in five skills categories (agenda setting, checking, questioning, information organization, and empathic communication).

RESULTS

Thirty trainees (15 males and 15 females; median age = 32) undertaking their vocational specialty training in psychiatry participated in ComPsych training and pre- and post-ComPsych SPAs. Skills increased post-training for agenda setting (d = -0.82), while questioning skills (d = 0.56) decreased. There were no significant differences in any other skills grouping, although checking, information organization, and empathic communication skills tended to increase post-training. A dose effect was observed for agenda setting, with trainees who attended more CST sessions outperforming those attending fewer.

CONCLUSION

Findings support the generalization and translation of ComPsych CST to psychiatry.