Nonverbal Synchrony: An Indicator of Clinical Communication Quality in Racially-Concordant and Racially-Discordant Oncology Interactions

Hamel, Lauren M.; Moulder, Robert; Ramseyer, Fabian T.; Penner, Louis A.; Albrecht, Terrance L.; Boker, Steven; Eggly, Susan (2022). Nonverbal Synchrony: An Indicator of Clinical Communication Quality in Racially-Concordant and Racially-Discordant Oncology Interactions. Cancer control, 29, p. 10732748221113905. Sage 10.1177/10732748221113905

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Objectives
The aim of this cross-sectional study was to apply a novel software to measure and compare levels of nonverbal synchrony, as a potential indicator of communication quality, in video recordings of racially-concordant and racially-discordant oncology interactions. Predictions include that the levels of nonverbal synchrony will be greater during racially-concordant interactions than racially-discordant interactions, and that levels of nonverbal synchrony will be associated with traditional measures of communication quality in both racially-concordant and racially-discordant interactions.
Design
This is a secondary observational analysis of video-recorded oncology treatment discussions collected from 2 previous studies.
Setting
Two National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers and another large urban cancer center.
Participants
Participants from Study 1 include 161 White patients with cancer and 11 White medical oncologists. Participants from Study 2 include 66 Black/African-American patients with cancer and 17 non-Black medical oncologists. In both studies inclusion criteria for patients was a recent cancer diagnosis; in Study 2 inclusion criteria was identifying as Black/African American.
Main outcome measures
Nonverbal synchrony and communication quality.
Results
Greater levels of nonverbal synchrony were observed in racially-discordant interactions than in racially-concordant interactions. Levels of nonverbal synchrony were associated with indicators of communication quality, and these associations were more consistently found in racially-discordant interactions.
Conclusion
This study advances clinical communication and disparities research by successfully applying a novel approach capturing the unconscious nature of communication, and revealing differences in communication in racially-discordant and racially-concordant oncology interactions. This study highlights the need for further exploration of nonverbal aspects relevant to patient-physician interactions.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology > Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy
07 Faculty of Human Sciences > Institute of Psychology

UniBE Contributor:

Ramseyer, Fabian

Subjects:

600 Technology > 610 Medicine & health

ISSN:

1073-2748

Publisher:

Sage

Language:

English

Submitter:

PD Dr phil Fabian T Ramseyer

Date Deposited:

14 Mar 2023 14:07

Last Modified:

19 Mar 2023 02:15

Publisher DOI:

10.1177/10732748221113905

PubMed ID:

35801386

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/180007

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/180007

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