The Effects of a Communications Course for Health Professionals on Empathy Discrimination

Abstract

In an attempt to apply counselor training methods to new settings, empathic communications skills were taught to a group of allied health professionals including medical technologists, dietitians, and physical therapists at Virginie Commonwealth University. The results of the study demonstrated that (1) allied health professionals could be taught more effective communications skllls and (2) even relatively strong and consistent response patterns could be altered in a positive way through partlcipation in a relatively short-term training program.