Improving communication in general practice when mental health issues appear: Piloting a set of six evidence-based skills

Objective

To test a communication skills training program teaching general practitioners (GPs) a set of six evidence-based mental health related skills.

Methods

A training program was developed and tested in a pilot test–retest study with 21 GPs. Consultations were videotaped and actors used as patients. A coding scheme was created to assess the effect of training on GP behavior. Relevant utterances were categorized as examples of each of the six specified skills. The GPs’ self-perceived learning needs and self-efficacy were measured with questionnaires.

Results

The mean number of GP utterances related to the six skills increased from 13.3 (SD 6.2) utterances before to 23.6 (SD 7.2) utterances after training; an increase of 77.4% (P < 0.001). Effect sizes varied from 0.23 to 1.37. Skills exploring emotions, cognitions and resources, and the skill Promote coping, increased significantly. Self-perceived learning needs and self-efficacy did not change significantly.

Conclusion

The results from this pilot test are encouraging. GPs enhanced their use on four out of six mental health related communication skills significantly, and the effects were medium to large.

Practice implications

This training approach appears to be an efficacious approach to mental health related communication skills training in general practice.