Methodological choices in experimental research on medical communication using vignettes: The impact of gender congruence and vignette modality

Patient Education and Counseling, vol. 105, pp. 1634–1641

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Experimental vignette designs are used to systematically test the effects of medical communication. We tested the impact of two methodological choices -gender congruence and vignette modality- on analogue patient reported outcomes. METHODS: In an online experiment using a vignette portraying an oncological bad news consultation, we manipulated (1) gender congruence between the analogue and the vignette patient, and (2) vignette modality, i.e., text, audio, or video. Cancer-naïve students acting as analogue patients (N = 209, 22 ± 3 years old, 75% F) were assigned one randomly-selected vignette variant and completed questionnaires. Using 3 × 2 (repeated-measures) ANOVAs, we tested main and interaction effects of gender congruence and modality on self-reported engagement, recall, trust, satisfaction and anxiety. RESULTS: We found no main effects of gender congruence or modality on any of the outcomes, nor any interaction effects between modality and congruence. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that researchers may needlessly create gender-congruent vignettes at considerable cost and effort. Also, the currently assumed superiority of videos over other modalities for experimental vignette-based research may be inaccurate. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Although further testing in an offline format and among different populations is warranted, decisions regarding gender congruence and modality for future vignette-based studies should be based primarily on their specific aims.

Authors 7

1. Leonie N.C. Visser

   Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam · Karolinska Institutet · Amsterdam Public Health · Amsterdam University Medical Centers

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC (location AMC), PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands

   Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC (location AMC), PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands

   Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden

2. Naomi C.A. van der Velden

   Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam · Amsterdam Public Health · Amsterdam University Medical Centers

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC (location AMC), PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands

3. Ellen M. A. Smets

   Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam · Amsterdam Public Health · Amsterdam University Medical Centers

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC (location AMC), PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands

4. Samantha van der Lelie

   Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam · Amsterdam Public Health · Amsterdam University Medical Centers

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC (location AMC), PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands

5. Eva Nieuwenbroek

   Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam · Amsterdam Public Health · Amsterdam University Medical Centers

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC (location AMC), PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands

6. Liesbeth Mirjam van Vliet Aachen Health Medical and Neuropsychology Unit Institute of Psychology, Leiden University Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition

   Leiden University

   Affiliation as printed

   Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, PO Box 9555, 2300 RB Leiden, The Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, PO Box 9600, 2300 RB Leiden, The Netherlands

   Health, Medical and Neuropsychology Unit, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, PO Box 9555, 2300 RB Leiden, The Netherlands

   Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, PO Box 9600, 2300 RB Leiden, The Netherlands

7. Marij A. Hillen corresponding

   Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam · Amsterdam Public Health · Amsterdam University Medical Centers

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC (location AMC), PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.a.hillen@amsterdamumc.nl

   Department of Medical Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC (location AMC), PO Box 22660, 1100 DD Amsterdam, The Netherlands