Sensitizing occupational and environmental health professionals to interpersonal relationships and communication

Occupational health specialists were sensitized to communication skills and interpersonal relationships through a didactic and experiential course emphasizing the specialist-client interaction as well as communication aspects incumbent in interactions with team members, colleagues and nonprofessionals in the work setting. While there were no significant changes in psychological abilities and awareness, small differences were found in social support before and after the course. Course assessment after the course revealed general satisfaction with the course relating to teaching style, group involvement and course organization. Implications of the findings are discussed.