The Relationships Between Doctor-Patient Affectionate Communication and Patient Perceptions and Outcomes

ABSTRACT

The current article combines the literature on doctor-patient communication and affectionate communication. Using Affection Exchange Theory (AET), the study predicts that the need for affection and the benefits of affectionate communication translate to the doctor-patient setting, proposing a series of relationships from both perceived doctor affectionate communication and affection deprivation to several patient outcome variables (patient perception of the doctor, patient communication with the doctor, and patient satisfaction/adherence). The results strongly supported the predictions for both affectionate communication and affection deprivation, with affectionate communication positively relating to most outcome measures and affection deprivation negatively relating to most outcome measures. Affection deprivation served as a moderator for the relationship between provider competence and patient satisfaction, although affectionate communication moderated the relationship between provider competence and patient adherence. Implications and possible directions for future research are discussed.

Notes

1. All measures scored as having a non-normal distribution, and thus all tests were run with both the current and transformed variables (using a Log-10 transformation). All regression model tests were exactly the same except for the relationship between doctor-patient affectionate communication and trust, where the relationship approached significance, β = .11, t = 1.82, p = .07. Thus, we used the current data in the results section for ease of interpretation, but have noted this result in the discussion regarding H1.

2. All information regarding the modification of the ACI can be received from the first author upon request.

3. One item loaded on both factors equally, and the other item was the only item which solely loaded on the second factor. Thus, both were removed.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Colin Hesse

Colin Hesse (Ph.D., Arizona State University) is an assistant professor in the Department of Speech Communication at Oregon State University.

Emily A. Rauscher

Emily A. Rauscher (Ph.D., University of Missouri) is an assistant professor in the Department of Communication at Texas A&M University.