PATIENTS WHO DECEIVE - AN EMPIRICAL-INVESTIGATION OF PATIENT-PHYSICIAN COMMUNICATION

A field investigation was completed surveying the communication practi ces of 754 adults. Questionnaire items were designed to tap the multid imensional nature of deception in patient-physician interactions. A ba ttery of sociodemographic items was also included. Data reduction tech niques were used to produce a measurement model with concealment/equiv ocation, falsification, and truthfulness as three orthogonal, internal ly reliable dimensions of deceptive communication in the practice of c linical medicine. Statistical controls indicated that social desirabil ity of honest versus duplicitous responses were not correlated with wi llingness to admit using deception in patient-physician interactions. Summaries of frequency of use of different kinds of deceptive communic ation by different population subgroups were offered. Discussion focus ed on the theoretical utility of the measurement model and the practic al implications for the practice of medicine. Finally, information man agement techniques available to health care providers were suggested t o (a) increase conversational surveillance, (b) detect language select ion / use associated with different kinds of deceptive communication, and (c) provide interactional strategies to reduce patient deception.