Introduction. The doctor-patient relationship is one of the key elements for maintaining adherence to therapeutic pathways in chronic diseases. Several factors within the physician's working context may negatively affect communication, thereby reducing the perceived quality of the relationship, with serious consequences for the patient's emotional sphere and sense of support.
Purpose. This study aimed to identify strategies to improve doctor-patient communication by analyzing its impact on the relationship, through a combined neuroscientific and self-report approach.
Method. A preliminary questionnaire study (n = 132) identified strengths and weaknesses of communication, focusing on responsiveness, perceived competence, involvement, trust, empathy, and relational depth, based on validated scales adapted to the Italian context. Building on these findings, eight videos of doctor-patient interactions across different therapeutic stages (n = 4) were created, employing two communication styles: consistent (n = 4) or inconsistent (n = 4) with patients' preferences. Emotional and cognitive responses of 20 participants - patients (n = 10) and non-patients (n = 10) - were measured while viewing the videos through skin conductance, heart rate, and emotional valence via EEG.
Results. Neurophysiological analyses revealed that the communication style preferred by patients in the initial questionnaire phase was indeed more effective in eliciting positive emotions and greater involvement, leading to a general improvement in the perceived quality of the doctor-patient relationship. This effect was consistent across both subgroups.
Conclusions. The findings highlight how communication styles consistent with patients' preferences can strengthen relational quality and foster more positive emotional responses, offering practical strategies to enhance healthcare interactions. Future research could extend this approach to other chronic conditions, broader patient populations, and different healthcare contexts, thereby contributing to the development of communication practices that support more effective, empathetic, and sustainable health systems.