Date of Award
December 2012
Degree Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Communication
First Advisor
Mike Alleb
Committee Members
Mike Allen, Nancy Burrell, Tae-Seop Lim, Edward Mabry, Hayeon Song
Keywords
Concordance Theory, Diagnostic Discourse, Hypothetico-Deductive Reasoning, Script Theory
Abstract
This study examines how participants interpret physicians' diagnostic discourse and physician interruptions during the patient's disclosure of problems and concerns. Using medical diagnostic scripts written for upper respiratory infections, participants' reactions to physician attentiveness and physician interruptions were measured. When physicians interrupt patients during the patient's disclosure of problems and concerns, interruptions violate patient's social script expectations and negatively affect patient satisfaction. Physicians' demonstrations of attentiveness and explanations of the purposes for the interruptions do not compensate for interruption's effects, and satisfaction with physician behavior is reduced.
Recommended Citation
Grimes, Denis, "An Anaylsis of Patient-Physician Discourse: Comparing Physician Diagnostic Scripts to Patient Social Script Expectations" (2012). Theses and Dissertations. 199.
https://dc.uwm.edu/etd/199