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Table 2 Type of interventions in eligible studies. Interventions are grouped as experiential and non-experiential

From: Empathy promoting interventions for health professionals: a systematic review of RCTs

First author, publication year

Intervention

Frequency

Duration of intervention

Comparison group

Experiential Interventions

Riess

2012

Empathy training: Videos of clinical interactions

Three

60-min modules

1 month

Standard post graduate medical education

Daeppen

2011

Motivational interviewing training: Sessions of practical exercises and role playing, Learning objectives, training activities, including exercises,

DVD extracts and role-plays

Two 4-h sessions

2 days

No training

Rask

2009

Communication skills training: Program including role playing, theoretical presentations, video demonstrations, group discussions

Two 2-day sessions lasting 33 h

2 months

No training

Saphiro

2009

Communication skills training: Therapeutic communication elective program: including regular meetings on one to one basis with patients under psychiatrist’s supervision

Weekly meetings

4 months

No training

Boncivici

2008

Communication skills training: Audiotaped physician—patient interaction, didactic and experiential teaching modalities, coaching, practice sessions

3 times, 6 h each (18 h)

3 months

No training

Butow

2008

Communication skills training: Intensive face-to-face workshop

1.5 intensive and four 1.5 h monthly

6 months

No training

Delvaux

2005

Communication skills training: Theoretical information, role play, how to handle patients’ distress

Six 3-h consolidation workshops

3 months

19-h basic training program

Shapiro

2004

Empathy training: Reading and discussion sessions

1 h twice monthly

4 months

No training

Fallowfield

2002

Communication skills training: Learner-centered course incorporating cognitive, behavioral and experiential components, written feedback

ND

3 days

Written feedback

Jenkins

2002

Communication skills training: Courses were learner centered, incorporating cognitive, experiential, and behavioral components

ND

3 days

No training

Razavi

2002

Communication skills training: Theoretical information, case presentations, role play

5 days per week

3 weeks

No training

Smith

1995

Psychosocial Training: Intensive program including interviewing, somatization, patient education, self-awareness

3 times per week

1 month

No training

Daniels

1988

Microtraining skills: Videotapes, microtraining/ microcounseling

6 segments 3 to 5 h length (total 25 h)

ND

No training

Wolf

1987

Training to facilitate response to patients’ concerns: Series of videotapes/ video program (interpreting body language in everyday practice)

6-h lectures, 4 weekly 3-h sessions

1 month

6-h lectures

Robbins

1979

Interpersonal skills: Videotapes, discussions and sensitivity exercise

8-day course, 1–2 h every morning (30 h)

8 days

No training

Non-experiential Interventions

Blaire-Irvine

2012

Mental illness training: Internet Program: “Caring Skills: Working with Mental Illness” including video modeling vignettes, right way and wrong way exemplars, testimonials, narrations for creating empathy

2 visits, 1 week apart - 2 courses each visit (10–30 min length each course)

2 weeks

No training

Tulsky

2011

Training to facilitate response to patients’ concerns: 1-h lecture plus CD-ROM training program (with 5 modules: effective communication, empathic opportunities, responding)

ND

1 month

1-h lecture

  1. ND No Data