Objective: To examine the feasibility of using a behavioral coding system,
the Five Minute Speech Sample (FMSS), to estimate the prevalence of relatio
nship difficulties between parents and physicians in a pediatric asthma car
e setting.
Method: The FMSS was administered to 20 parents of children with severe, ch
ronic asthma and to the physicians they worked with during a brief day prog
ram admission.
Results: Rates of relationship difficulties between parents and physicians
ranged from 15% to 40%, comparable to those previously identified in patien
t-therapist relationships in psychiatric populations.
Conclusions: Although further information is needed about validity and reli
ability, the FMSS appears to provide clinically relevant information about
the parent-physician relationship in the context of pediatric chronic illne
ss.