Effective Interviewing and Counseling of the Adolescent Patient

A vast number of successful recommendations are available to physicians who want to learn how to strengthen their interactions with adolescent patients. Understanding that the physician-patient relationship is dynamic is the first step toward building a strong repertoire within this patient sample. Therefore, physicians may assume that adolescent perceptions of the physician-patient relationship and the services provided will change as they change developmentally or as the situation is modified. Finding a balance between family and patient concerns while gaining increased experience with skills less-practiced (eg, communication about sensitive topics) will improve adolescent perceptions of your expertise, knowledge, and abilities. Finally, following up on changes across time in adolescents' concerns, perceptions, abilities, and the physician-patient relationship itself, will help to ensure continued satisfaction and service use by adolescents and their families.