Self-Determination Theory to observe healthcare professionals' counselling in chronic care encounters: Development of the COUNSEL-CCE tool

Veerle Duprez; Leen Haerens; Dorien Wuyts; Sofie Verhaeghe; Regina van Zanten; Emma K Massey; Ann Van Hecke

doi:10.1016/j.pec.2020.12.002

Self-Determination Theory to observe healthcare professionals' counselling in chronic care encounters: Development of the COUNSEL-CCE tool

Patient Educ Couns. 2021 Jul;104(7):1773-1780. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.12.002. Epub 2020 Dec 9.

Authors

Veerle Duprez¹, Leen Haerens², Dorien Wuyts³, Sofie Verhaeghe⁴, Regina van Zanten⁵, Emma K Massey⁵, Ann Van Hecke⁶

Affiliations

¹ University Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Veerle.Duprez@UGent.be.
² Department of Movement and Sports Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium.
³ Expertise Unit Health Innovation, University Colleges Leuven Limburg, Leuven, Belgium.
⁴ University Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000, Ghent, Belgium; Department of Nursing, VIVES University College, Roeselare, Belgium.
⁵ Department of Internal Medicine, Section Nephrology & Transplantation, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Netherlands.
⁶ University Centre for Nursing and Midwifery, Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University, Corneel Heymanslaan 10, 9000, Ghent, Belgium; Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.

PMID: 33342579
DOI: 10.1016/j.pec.2020.12.002

Abstract

Objective: To develop and psychometrically evaluate an observation tool to rate healthcare professionals' engagement in need-supportive and need-thwarting counselling in chronic care encounters.

Methods: The observation tool was developed through three stages (January 2018 - June 2019). First, a set of items was developed according to essential components of need-supportive and need-thwarting counselling as identified in Self-Determination Theory. Second, content validation by five experts. Third, ecological validation using video-recorded real-life consultations. For the psychometric evaluation (June - October 2019), the tool was used by three observers to code 55 units of real-life encounters.

Results: The Coding and Observing Need-Supportive Counselling in Chronic Care Encounters (COUNSEL-CCE) consists of 44 items clustered into nine theoretically underpinned behavioural approaches. Psychometric testing indicated acceptable to good consistency in scoring between observers and strong consistency within observers.

Conclusion: The COUNSEL-CCE captures person-oriented alongside process-oriented aspects during chronic care encounters. A person-oriented approach expresses counselling that is responsive to individual preferences and needs, whereas a process-oriented approach indicates the necessity to support competency building within patients, and is more instrumental of nature.

Practice implications: COUNSEL-CCE is a valuable observation tool to assess (graduate) healthcare professionals' counselling style and address if, and how, counselling evolves as a result of professional training.

Keywords: Behaviour observation techniques; Chronic care; Counselling; Observation; Person-Centred care; Self-Determination Theory; Self-Management.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Counseling*
Delivery of Health Care
Health Personnel*
Humans
Long-Term Care
Referral and Consultation