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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Dec 1.
Published in final edited form as: Curr Diab Rep. 2013 Dec;13(6):10.1007/s11892-013-0420-x. doi: 10.1007/s11892-013-0420-x

Table 1.

Health care provider and patient behaviors to facilitate communication

Domain Health Care Provider Behaviors Adolescent and Emerging Adult Patient Behaviors
Questions and information-sharing
  • Direct questions and information to adolescent/emerging adult rather than or in addition to parent

  • Wait for adolescent/emerging adult response to questions

  • Use open-ended questions to facilitate engagement in the encounter and encourage disclosure

  • Disclose personal information and honest responses to provider questions

  • Ask questions during the visit

  • Repeat back instructions to ensure understanding

Tone and affect
  • Open, warm, non-judgmental

  • Culturally-sensitive

  • Use active listening and remain engaged with adolescent/emerging adult throughout visit, even when on a tight schedule

  • Open, positive, interested

  • Maintain active involvement and collaboration with provider throughout visit

Autonomy-promotion
  • Structure medical visit to include time alone with adolescent/emerging adult patient

  • Ask opinions and preferences of adolescent/emerging adult patient

  • Engage adolescent/emerging adult patient in treatment decision making

  • Increasingly initiate conversation with provider

  • Share opinions and preferences with provider

  • Participate in treatment decision making

Problem-solving
  • Assess barriers to self- management

  • Guide patients in generating solutions to diabetes challenges

  • Disclose challenges to self- management

  • Practice problem-solving skills and engage with provider in generating possible solutions

Preparation prior to visit
  • Obtain training in issues related to adolescent and emerging adult development

  • Obtain training in issues related to communicating with patients of differing ethnic/racial backgrounds.

  • Prepare questions for health care provider prior to medical visit

  • Be knowledgeable about diabetes history and current treatment regimen