Communication theory applicable in a health and human services (HHS) setting
Communication accommodation theory, or simply CAT, is a communication theory applicable to HHS setting and work with families and children. Flexibility and breadth of the communication approach allow employing different techniques of communication and responses, including behavioral, cognitive, and emotional, not to mention verbal ones (Dainton & Zelley, 2015). As a result, understanding and explaining behaviors, attitudes, motivations, and intentions is easier from both the group and individual perspectives, which might help enhance the quality of communication and the level of family engagement (both between family members and with HHS professional) due to demonstrating awareness of their needs and similarity with them by accommodating to their communication style (D’Agostino & Bylund, 2014). This theory will be used by adapting communication, so it complies with patterns used by families (for instance, using body language, pitch, tone, and phrases similar to those preferred by patients: speak language both parents and children understand; use curricula, toys, and books complying with cultural and linguistic background of the family).
Effective verbal communication technique and ways to use it
Assertive communication technique is chosen to apply in the HHS setting. This verbal communication technique is based on several interrelated strategies: describing a problem, identifying its impact, offering potentially workable and effective solutions to the problem, and confirming understanding of the shared information (DeVito, 2015). One example of applying it is to enhance family engagement, and a potential problem here is poor family connections – links between parents and children. In the health and human services setting, this approach might be the most helpful one because the environment in the setting is commonly characterized by high rates of misunderstanding. To employ it, the following aspects will be focused on: always use facts and accurate information for pointing to the problem and its influence on parents and children (inappropriate family roles and impaired physical and mental health of children deriving by poor performance of parents’ functions), demonstrate confidence in the ability to solve the issue by integrating the I and we statements into the language, be honest and open instead of manipulating, demonstrate knowledge about the nature of the problem, always share issues directly, and offer a range of solutions or options for coping with the problem (DeVito, 2015; Parrott, 2014).
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Effective nonverbal communication technique and ways to use it
Tone and pitch of voice is a chosen non-verbal communication technique because, unlike other nonverbal communication techniques, it is a universal one and does not vary greatly based on clients’ culture, age, and gender. This technique can be used for both delivering a more effective message and assessing clients’ reaction to the shared information because voice changes point to the changes in mood. To efficiently employ this nonverbal communication technique, the following ideas and strategies will be considered: tone and pitch can be used for laying stress on the shared information, but they should never become a tool for initiating a conflict with the clients; voice should be calm to demonstrate confidence in the shared information with changes in pitch to hint at shifts to new details, keep the clients’ attention, and assure that voices changes in response to what is being said only (DeVito, 2015). For instance, pitch will be higher when important information is mentioned; pauses will be made to provide patients with time to understand the information; hesitation in speech will be avoided; lower tone can be a ground for enhancing the feeling of privacy, thus fostering trust and motivating family engagement.
Empathy skills in interpersonal and group settings and ways to use them
Among all empathy skills, expressing understanding of speakers’ feelings can be used in both group and interpersonal settings. In the HHS setting, it may be efficiently for assessing family progress in enhancing family interactions and exercised by actively using the following techniques: making a patient comfortable by restating their issues or demonstrating awareness of their feelings (generally acceptable phrase is, “you must have felt [emotion]” when trying to become closer with family members), removing any physical or mental barriers to communication (either elements of furniture or prejudices) to show openness, avoiding intentions to interrupt a speaker even when they seem to be talking for too long, avoiding offensive listening (ignoring some parts of the story), and guarding oneself from expectancy hearing (DeVito, 2015). All of these strategies related to empathy are easily applied to the individual setting (when only one family members is worked with), but they are still applicable in the group setting (when working with both parents and children at a time). To be specific, the following may be used in groups: letting only one person (either of parents or a child) speak at a time, directing comments to the speaker, demonstrating awareness of and concern for feelings of each individual from the group, expressing support for each individual and group as a whole, demonstrating that both parents and children are equal and their interests are equally valued.
Impact of family, culture, and gender related to communication with clients
Family, culture, and gender are critical because they predetermine patients’ values as well as help understand what patterns of communication are appropriate and acceptable, thus potentially enhancing the overall effectiveness of direct interactions. Culture is the main determinant to focus on because it affects the relevance of verbal and nonverbal communication (for instance, eye and physical contact, readiness to establish contacts with unknown people, personal space, hand gestures, facial expressions, and expressions of feelings and emotions) as well as some issues related to spirituality and its impact on interactions with HHS professionals that varies across cultures (openness in sharing feelings and letting a bystander interrupt the family process). As for family, its role in communication is vital because it affects communication patterns individually (for each family). Here, focus should be made on family roles and relationships between family members to better share information (for example, if a father is a leader, he should be the first to share his feelings and speak of any issues, though a mother and children should not be ignored). Speaking of the impact of gender, specific gender-related features of socialization and avoiding gender-related prejudice should be the foundation of choosing patterns for communicating with patients (for instance, gender bias in determining leadership in a family or family activities) as well as adapting communication to non-traditional parents.
- D’Agostino, T. A., & Bylund, C. L. (2014). Nonverbal accommodation in healthcare communication. Health Communication, 29(6), 562-573.
- Dainton, M., & Zelley, E. D. (2015). Applying communication theory for professional life: A practical introduction. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
- DeVito, J. A. (2015). The interpersonal communication book (14th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson.
- Parrott, J. (2014). Values and ethics in social work practice (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications.
