Purpose: Communication problems are a major contributing factor to adverse events in hospitals. The contextual environment in small rural hospitals increases the importance of emergency department (ED) patient transfer communication quality. This study addresses the communication problems through the development and testing of ED quality…

Introduction: Despite the knowledge of good communication as a precondition for optimal care and treatment in health care, serious communication problems are still experienced by patients as well as by health care professionals. An orthopedic surgery department initiated a 3-day communication skills training course for all staff members expecting…

This is a guide for training supervisors in the theory and application of behavior modification using material that has been implemented successfully for many years in companies throughout the country. Procedures for organizing and conducting training sessions in a supervisor training program are presented. The manual, one of four prepared to aid…

Concern over basic communication skills in the workplace has led to the development of corporate training programs to teach effective listening, and to improve the style and content of written communications. (SK)

Article suggests implications for the management of foreign and minority workers. (Author/MM)

Provides practical information for those interested in implementing a communication apprehension program: (1) description of 24 communication programs; (2) glossary of various methods used to treat communication apprehension; and (3) classified bibliography arranged by treatment method. (PD)

An in vivo procedure for relaxation as self-control and a procedure for self-control modification of desensitization were compared to a no-treatment control. Results showed modified desensitization, compared to the control, significantly decreased communication anxiety and fear of negative evaluation and significantly increased assertiveness.…

Considers the role functions and general competencies of communication trainers. Focuses on the way trainers execute two principal tasks: 1) selecting topics, teaching, and evaluating communication seminars; and 2) diagnosing and managing communication problems which occur within the organization. (JMF)

A systematic desensitization therapy program to reduce anxiety in speakers has been developed and implemented at Michigan State University for those students in basic speech courses who have been identified by "The Personal Report of Communication Apprehension" (PRCA) as having severe speech anxiety and thus being in need of Systematic…

Introduces and comments on articles in this symposium issue. Contends that speech teachers have methods to overcome communication problems. Challenges them to sort their methods out, test and phrase them in clear language, document assertions from their own classroom investigations, and eventually build a theory to help people improve their…

Following training in a communication repair strategy (showing), 10 children (ages 4 to 9) with hearing loss showed a greater (but not statistically significant) tendency to use this repair behavior than similar untrained subjects. The children used more explicit repair behaviors when asked questions that requested more information. (DB)

Systematic Desensitization (S. D.) training, which has been successfully used both individually and in small groups to reduce people's communicative anxiety, must eventually be applied in large training groups to be economical and efficient. In large heterogeneous group work, however, it is important to determine the possible detrimental effects…

Findings demonstrated that the reason students enrolled in a Speech Confidence Laboratory was to improve their speaking skills and to reduce their fear of speaking. Although findings indicated that the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA) was not the decisive factor influencing students' enrollment, the PRCA is an adequate…

This booklet explains a system for prevention of and intervention with behavior problems in individuals with mental retardation and autism. The underlying premise is that all behaviors are an effort at communication and that by deciphering the communicative intent or function, one can guide an individual to a more acceptable mode of communication.…

Discusses the use of role-play for the development of interpersonal skills and evaluates a computer-based learning environment for initial training in dealing with social-communicative problems. Discusses high cognitive load, explains the use of a conversational model, describes the results of two experiments with university students, and suggests…