Patient education and counseling
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Physician gender and apologies in clinical interactions.
We examine whether patients have a preference for affective (i.e., focused on patient's emotions) or cognitive (i.e., focused on the process that led to the error) apologies that are dependent on the apologizing physician's gender. We hypothesize patients will prefer gender-congruent apologies (i.e., when females offer affective apologies and males offer cognitive apologies). ⋯ Apology trainings should incorporate how physician characteristics can influence how patients assess and respond to apologies.