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Table 2 Example of how summary translation is produced from second order constructs

From: How communication affects prescription decisions in consultations for acute illness in children: a systematic review and meta-ethnography

Study

Second order construct

Summary translation

Elwyn 1999 [33]

The doctor has attempted to use the concept of ‘normality’ as a means of persuading the patients to accept symptomatic treatment. It is to be expected that young children will develop upper RTI, and the doctor wants to avoid its medicalization.

Clinicians use problem minimising/normalising language or communication techniques during examination to communicate that an illness is not serious

Stivers 2000 [35]

When doctors initiate closure of a minimal sequence (either by moving to a new sequence or with a minimal sequence expanding SCT) they convey that the response is routine, expectable, or unproblematic.

Rollnick 2001 [41]

The doctor in the example above (involving the ‘very rattle cough’) used minimizing words, not only to reassure a worried parent and to reduce the intrusiveness of the physical examination, but also to introduce the idea that the problem was not that serious.

Butler 2009 [60]

The nurse draws on her expertise in the area of child development and parenting to re-specify the problem as non-medical and as an expected and normal occurrence.

The nurse assures the caller that 37 is ‘normal’ and at ‘37.4 she’s probably feeling a little bit uncomfortable but that’s okay’.