Communication Apprehension Among Health Professions Students in Brazil

Abstract

Objective. To determine the levels of communication apprehension (CA) experienced by health students and compare them according to sex, age range, course, and academic year. Method. A cross-sectional study was conducted at a Brazilian university from December 2019 to May 2020 with dentistry, pharmacy, medicine, and nursing students, recruited by convenience sampling. The students were invited to answer a survey consisting of two sections: general characteristic and the Personal Report of Communication Apprehension (PRCA-24). Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted. Results. A total of 644 health students answered the survey, of whom 25.5% were classified as having high communication apprehension. Male participants had significantly lower PRCA-24 scores than females. No significant differences were found between PRCA-24 scores by age category or academic year. Medical students had significantly lower mean PRCA-24 scores than pharmacy students. Conclusion.The prevalence of high CA was high and apparently remained stable over time. The highest scores for CA were obtained by women and pharmacy students. Health educators should consider the effects of communication apprehension and use adequate interventions during communication skills training.

Exploring communication apprehension in nursing and healthcare education: A scoping review

“…Individual factors : Gender was found to be positively associated with CA in 6 out of 9 studies that analyzed gender and CA, with female students reporting higher CA than male students in several studies (Anacleto de Araújo et al, 2022; A. M. Kerr & Thompson, 2022; Lang et al, 1998; McCroskey et al, 1983;O'Donnell, 1998; Pierce, 2016). Three out of 9 studies found no significant differences in CA based on gender (Hashemi et al, 2020; LaRochelle & Karpinski, 2016; Rogers & King, 2012).…”

Communication apprehension and self-perceived communication competence: a study of undergraduate students in their final year

“…The need for academics and program administrators to be aware of the anxieties students have regarding oral communication in general and the process of evaluation should also be given further consideration. Therefore, communication skills training programs to reduce students' apprehension are recommended (Araújo et al ., 2022; Hand, 2023). Universities and instructors must be able to help increase the students' SPCC as the higher the students' SPCC, the lower their CA tended to be.…”