Doctor–parent–child communication. A (re)view of the literature

Studies on doctor–patient communication focus predominantly on dyadic interactions between adults; even when the patient is a child, the research focus is usually on doctor–parent interaction. The aim of this review study is to evaluate the state of the art of research into doctor–parent–child communication, and to explore the specific role of the child. Researchers have focused on diverse aspects of the communication in this triad, and, as a result, knowledge gained from studies in this area is poorly integrated. Most of the studies have ignored the implications of a child’s presence in medical encounters. Although all studies claim to examine the interaction in the doctor–parent–child triad, most research methodologies used are based on dyads. Our claim, however, is that, because the interactional dynamics of a triad differ fundamentally from those of a dyad, triadic analyses are a prerequisite for a full account of the communication between doctor, parent and child. Suggestions are formulated for an adequate research frame regarding triads.