25. Training and intervention

Abstract

Communication competence is unquestionably crucial to personal and career success, so it is not surprising that its development has generated tremendous interest among training professionals. This chapter reviews efforts to enhance communication competence through training. We examine methods of training and the contexts of relational, organizational, and community life where training has been called for, attempted, and (sometimes) assessed. In general, the studies we located supported the efficacy of communication training. Across contexts and training methods significant improvements were reported, often on multiple measures of effectiveness and appropriateness. Despite recent improvements in research rigor, convincing evaluation research remains scant. Small sample sizes and illdefined training "treatments" are among the most obvious methodological limitations. As we found relatively few comparative studies, it is difficult to determine which training methods are superior. Few studies fully "teased out" the unique effects of improved communication practices on training outcomes. The effects of training must be considered in light of larger organizational or social conditions that mute or even nullify its effects. Finally, we found little interest in evaluating the degree to which training yielded more ethical communication practices. This dimension of communication competence deserves additional training and research.Communication competence is unquestionably crucial to personal and career success, so it is not surprising that its development has generated tremendous interest among researchers and training professionals. This chapter reviews efforts to enhance communication competence through training. We examine both methods of training and the contexts of relational, organizational, and community life where it has been called for, attempted, and (sometimes) assessed. Comprehensive inventories of intervention programs are offered elsewhere (e.g., http://www.nrepp. samhsa.gov/Index.aspx). Here we focus on those most commonly used to develop communication competencies and favor those for which "evidence-based" recommendations, preferably grounded in empirical research, can be offered (see http:// evidencebasedprograms.org). Even within these parameters the literature remains vast and our review must be selective. Fortunately, other chapters in this volume address contexts in which training and intervention efforts are common, such as relational communication (Chapter 13), negotiation (Chapter 15), organizational communication (Chapter 16), and cross-cultural communication (Chapter 20).