Comparing the Effect of Role-playing and Lecturing on Learning the Communication Skills Among Health Workers of Kerman Health Centers, Iran

Background: The proper health worker-patient communication is one of the main factors that affect patients’ satisfaction and improve healthcare outcomes. Objectives: The current study aimed at comparing the effect of the two widely used teaching methods, role-playing and lecturing, on learning the communication skills among health workers of Kerman health centers in Iran, ۲۰۱۸.Methods: The current interventional study included all health workers in Kerman City as the statistical population of whom ۱۲۰ selected by the census method. Then, they were randomly assigned to three groups of ۴۰ subjects. The first group was trained by role-playing, the second group by lecturing, and the third group, as control, received no training. All the subjects completed the Barton standard relationship communication skills questionnaire before and after the intervention. The data were then analyzed in SPSS software using Wilcoxon test.Results: The mean age of the subjects was ۳۸.۵۴±۸.۲۹ years, and ۴۶.۷% of them had a high school diploma; ۸۶.۷% were married, and ۷۴.۲% were females. Based on the findings, the mean score of communication skills in the role-playing group increased from ۲.۹۰ to ۴.۲۹ after the intervention, which was statistically significant (P <۰.۰۰۱).Conclusion: The score of communication skills (i e, verbal, listening, and feedback skills) in the role-playing group was higher than those of the lecturing and control groups. Therefore, it can be concluded that the role-playing method can be useful in teaching communication skills.