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Objective: (1) To report the number and type of emotional expressions (cues/concerns) raised by breast cancer patients; (2) to identify the influence of setting, patient characteristics, and doctor-patient interaction on emotional expression., Methods: 308 Italian-speaking female patients were recruited at their first breast cancer consultation. The visits were audio-recorded and analysed for number and type of emotional expressions (VR-CoDES). Oncologists' interaction skills were rated by the VR-COPE. Socio-demographic, clinical and personality variables were gathered before the consultation. Clinical variables and oncologists' evaluations of the patient were collected after., Results: Breast cancer patients raised emotional issues mainly as cues. The setting (centre where the consultations took place), the oncologist's attribution of anxiety, regardless of anxiety test screening (STAI-X1) score before the consultation, and the oncologist's ability to pick up on patient's worries, handle emotional needs or understand psychosocial condition were all positively related with the number of emotional expressions. More tightly structured consultations had fewer emotional expressions., Conclusion: Both contextual and interactional aspects have an impact on patient emotional expressions., Practice Implications: Oncologists need to be trained to manage both the content and the process of medical consultation. Work organization of the consultation setting needs to be taken into account., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate how patients' autonomic responses are related to verbal or non-verbal communication during clinical encounters., Methods: The SCOPUS database was searched to identify papers. Studies were included if measures of autonomic arousal were related to patients' emotions or patient-clinician interaction during clinical consultations such as psychotherapy, counseling or medical interviews. The search was conducted according to PRISMA criteria. The included studies were assessed using the 16 item quality assessment tool QATSDD., Results: A total of 24 publications were identified. The studies varied greatly in design and quality. However, a few trends could be observed across studies. Patients' expressions of emotions were associated with significant autonomic arousal. Clinician behavior affected arousal levels; and in a few studies, a patient centered way of presenting information was found to attenuate arousal level, interpreted as stress reduction. There was a general, but not consistent, trend in the reduction of arousal level over time within the consultation. Examples of individual differences in autonomic responses were found., Conclusion and Practice Implications: Increased awareness of potential impact of clinician behavior on patient' arousal level may be helpful for clinicians, in particular how different communication styles may augment or attenuate arousal in response to stressors., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional sequences (VR-CoDES) system has been applied in a wide range of studies, in some of these, because of its attention on healthcare provider's ability to respond to patient emotions, it has been used as a proxy of patient-centeredness. The paper aims to discuss how the VR-CoDES can contribute to the broader concept of patient-centeredness and its limitations., Methods: VR-CoDES and patient-centeredness concept are briefly described, trying to detect commonalities and distinctions. The VR-CoDES dimensions of Explicit/non explicit responding and Providing or Reducing Space are analysed in relation to relevant aspects of patient-centred communication., Results: Emotional aspects are encompassed within patient-centeredness model, but they represent only one of the numerous dimensions that contribute to define patient-centeredness as well as Explicit/non explicit responding and Providing or Reducing Space serve different functions during communication., Conclusion: The VR-CoDES can contribute to operationalize the description of emotional aspects emerging in a consultation, by inducing coders to adopt a factual attitude in assessing how health providers react to patient's expression of emotions., Practice Implications: To better define empirically which measure affective aspects and dimensions of health provider responses are relevant and may contribute to patient-centeredness in different clinical settings., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Objective: To explore the applicability, need for modifications and reliability of the VR-CoDES in a veterinary setting while also gaining a deeper understanding of clients' expressions of negative emotion and how they are addressed by veterinarians., Methods: The Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences for client cues and concerns (VR-CoDES-CC) and health provider responses (VR-CoDES-P) were used to analyse 20 audiotaped veterinary consultations. Inter-rater reliability was established. The applicability of definitions of the VR-CoDES was identified, together with the need for specific modifications to suit veterinary consultations., Results: The VR-CoDES-CC and VR-CoDES-P generally applied to veterinary consultations. Cue and concern reliability was found satisfactory for most types of cues, but not for concerns. Response reliability was satisfactory for explicitness, and for providing and reducing space for further disclosure. Modifications to the original coding system were necessary to accurately reflect the veterinary context and included minor additions to the VR-CoDES-CC., Conclusion: Using minor additions to the VR-CoDES including guilt, reassurance and cost discussions it can be reliably adopted to assess clients' implicit expressions of negative emotion and veterinarians' responses., Practice Implications: The modified VR-CoDES could be of great value when combined with existing frameworks used for teaching and researching veterinary communication., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Anxiety and depression are common in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but data on emotional communication during MS consultations are lacking. We assessed patient expressions of emotion and neurologist responses during first-ever MS consultations using the Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences (VR-CoDES)., Methods: We applied VR-CoDES to recordings/transcripts of 88 outpatient consultations (10 neurologists, four MS Italian centers). Before consultation, patients completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Multilevel sequential analysis was performed on the number of cues/concerns expressed by patients, and the proportion of reduce space responses by neurologists., Results: Patients expressed 492 cues and 45 concerns (median 4 cues and 1 concern per consultation). The commonest cues were verbal hints of hidden worries (cue type b, 41%) and references to stressful life events (type d, 26%). Variables independently associated with number of cues/concerns were: anxiety (HADS-Anxiety score >8) (incidence risk ratio, IRR 1.08, 95% CI 1.06-1.09; p<0.001); patient age (IRR 0.98, 95% CI 0.98-0.99; p<0.001); neurologist age (IRR 0.94, 95% CI 0.92-0.96; p=0.03); and second opinion consultation (IRR 0.72, 95% CI 0.60-0.86; p=0.007). Neurologists reacted to patient emotions by reducing space (changing subject, taking no notice, giving medical advice) for 58% of cues and 76% of concerns. Anxiety was the only variable significantly associated with 'reduce space' responses (odds ratio 2.17, 95% CI 1.32-3.57; p=0.003)., Conclusions: Patient emotional expressions varied widely, but VR-CoDES cues b and d were expressed most often. Patient anxiety was directly associated with emotional expressions; older age of patients and neurologists, and second opinion consultations were inversely associated with patient emotional expression. In over 50% of instances, neurologists responded to these expressions by reducing space, more so in anxious patients. These findings suggest that neurologists need to improve their skills in dealing with patient emotions.

Objective: To describe how emotions are disclosed during psychiatric diagnostic consultations and the contribution of the psychiatrists in facilitating their expression., Methods: Descriptive naturalistic study. Sixteen psychiatrists recorded their first consultations with 104 patients. Emotions and the immediate response given by the psychiatrist were coded with the Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences. For each disclosed emotion, the potential link to preceding expressions with affective content (cue or concern) was checked and the immediate response given by the psychiatrist was coded., Results: Most emotions were expressions of anxiety in terms of psycho-physiological or cognitive correlates. Concerns were present in 94% of the consultations, 47.6% were not linked to previous cues/concerns. Cues which became concerns and concerns which were further elaborated by the patient were those that had been acknowledged and handled by the psychiatrist by actively providing space to their expression. Compared to all other diagnostic groups, patients with mood disorders talked more explicitly and more often about their feelings., Conclusion: The type and frequency of expressed emotions varies with patient diagnosis, suggesting different cognitive processes underlining psychopathology., Practice Implications: Psychiatrist's competence in providing space by using active listening skills is essential to uncover patients emotions., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To illustrate how patients introduce cues and concerns during clinical consultations and how psychiatrists respond to them., Method: Sixteen psychiatrists recorded 104 first diagnostic consultations, coded with the Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences (VR-CoDES). Cues, concerns and responses were analyzed in relation to patient gender and ICD-10 diagnosis, and psychiatrists' age, gender, clinical experience and consultation process., Results: Cues were more frequent among female patients and were equally distributed among diagnostic categories. Concerns were more frequent among patients with "Mood" or "Neurotic" disorders. Psychiatrists' responses to cues tended to "provide space" without being explicit. Referral to the affective part was restricted to concerns which had been solicited by the psychiatrist. Empathic responses were infrequent. Cues and concerns received more attention by female psychiatrists., Conclusion: The study confirms gender differences in expressing and dealing with emotions both by patients and psychiatrists. Females tend to give more space to this topic. Psychiatrists 'responses differed according to cues, concerns, gender, diagnosis and to who prompted the cue/concern, showing a preference for topics introduced by themselves., Practice Implications: The VR-CoDES is a useful tool to define the strategies psychiatrists adopt when handling patients' emotions in terms of cues and concern., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To present a method to classify health provider responses to patient cues and concerns according to the VR-CoDES-CC (Del Piccolo et al. (2009) [2] and Zimmermann et al. (submitted for publication) [3]). The system permits sequence analysis and a detailed description of how providers handle patient's expressions of emotion., Methods: The Verona-CoDES-P system has been developed based on consensus views within the "Verona Network of Sequence Analysis". The different phases of the creation process are described in detail. A reliability study has been conducted on 20 interviews from a convenience sample of 104 psychiatric consultations., Results: The VR-CoDES-P has two main classes of provider responses, corresponding to the degree of explicitness (yes/no) and space (yes/no) that is given by the health provider to each cue/concern expressed by the patient. The system can be further subdivided into 17 individual categories. Statistical analyses showed that the VR-CoDES-P is reliable (agreement 92.86%, Cohen's kappa 0.90 (±0.04) p<0.0001)., Conclusion: Once validity and reliability are tested in different settings, the system should be applied to investigate the relationship between provider responses to patients' expression of emotions and outcome variables., Practice Implications: Research employing the VR-CoDES-P should be applied to develop research-based approaches to maximize appropriate responses to patients' indirect and overt expressions of emotional needs., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To present the Verona Coding Definitions of Emotional Sequences (VR-CoDES CC), a consensus based system for coding patient expressions of emotional distress in medical consultations, defined as Cues or Concerns., Methods: The system was developed by an international group of communication researchers. First, consensus was reached in different steps. Second, a reliability study was conducted on 20 psychiatric consultations., Results: A Cue is defined as a verbal or non-verbal hint which suggests an underlying unpleasant emotion that lacks clarity. A Concern is defined as a clear and unambiguous expression of an unpleasant current or recent emotion that is explicitly verbalized with or without a stated issue of importance. The conceptual framework sets precise criteria for cues and concerns and for whom (health provider or patient) elicits the cue/concern. Inter-rater reliability proved satisfactory (agreement 81.5%, Cohen's Kappa 0.70)., Conclusion: The VR-CoDES CC will facilitate comparative research on provider-patient communication sequences in which patients express emotional distress., Practice Implications: The VR-CoDES CC may be used to help clinicians in recognizing or facilitating cues and concerns, thereby improving the recognition of patients' emotional distress, the therapeutic alliance and quality of care for these patients., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of the current article is to review the peer-reviewed research literature on cues and concerns published between 1975 and 2006. To be included, articles had to report observational studies based on patient-physician consultations and report findings on patient expressions of cues and/or concerns. Quantitative and qualitative studies from different medical settings were considered. Fifty-eight original articles based on the analysis of audio- or videotaped medical consultations were tracked down. Definition of cues and concerns and methodological approaches differed widely. Physicians missed most cues and concerns and adopted behaviors that discouraged disclosure. Communication training improved the detection of cues and concerns. Future research progress would require different methodological approaches more appropriate for studying verbal interactions and the complexity of the various levels that influence interactions., ((c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved)

Background: The main focus of the training of psychiatrists is on diagnosis and treatment based on the traditional doctor-centered approach to the psychiatric interview. Less attention is given to the correct handling of patients' emotional concerns, which is crucial for the patient-physician relationship, but also for improving diagnostic and treatment decisions. The aim of this study is to assess psychiatrists' responses to patients' concerns and worries., Method: 118 consultations, conducted by 10 residents in psychiatry with 20 simulated patients, have been coded using the Verona Psychiatric Interview Classification System. Lag1 sequential analysis and a multinomial logit regression analysis were performed to investigate the relationship between patients' expressions of concern and psychiatrists' subsequent interventions in terms of patient-centered skills., Results: Compared to doctor-centered interventions, all patients' expressions of concern increased the probability of passive listening (odds ratios between 2.4 and 4.2). They also increased the occurrence of emotion focusing interventions (odds ratios between 3.3 and 1.7), which however remained rare (4% of residents' total responses). A small although significant increase in the likelihood of active listening expressions was observed as a response to two types of patient expressions of concern: statements of feelings (odds ratio 1.4) and expression of opinions regarding problematic psychosocial issues (odds ratio of 1.7)., Conclusions: Young psychiatrists are good passive listeners but need to improve active listening skills which, together with emotion focusing skills, should be a major learning target in psychiatry. These patient-centered interviewing skills should integrate those traditionally used for attributing ICD-10 and/or DSM-IV categories.

Objective: To describe the Emoty-Com training, its impact on medical students' attitudes towards doctors' emotions and to explore the association between students' empathy, emotional intelligence (EI), and attachment style (AS) with post-training performance scores.Methods: The 16-hour Emoty-Com training was delivered to all second-year medical students of Verona and Milan (Italy) Universities. At pre-training, students filled out three questionnaires assessing empathy, AS and EI and responded to three questions on attitudes towards doctors' emotions in the doctor-patient encounter. The same three questions and a final evaluation test were proposed at post-training.Results: 264 students participated in the study. The training reduced students' worry about managing emotions during doctor-patient relationships. Gender was associated with specific subscales of empathy, EI, and AS. Final performance scores were associated with students' attitudes towards emotions but not with empathy, EI, and AS.Conclusion: The Emoty-Com training increased students' self-efficacy in handling their own emotions during consultations. Students' performance scores were related to their attitude towards doctors' emotions in clinical encounters.Practice Implications: The Emoty-Com training suggests ways to teach and evaluate emotion-handling skills for medical students. Possible links between empathy, EI, AS, and the attitudes towards doctors' emotions during the years of education are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]