People-centred care: new research needs and methodsin doctor–patient communication. Challenges inmental health

Communication in psychiatry is nowadays called to create bridges between different levels of observation (biological,functional and relational levels) and therapeutic intervention (social and educational) with important implications fortherapeutic practice and communication research in the mental health context. New research challenges and windowsof opportunity for therapeutic practice will be addressed in this contribution, as they relate to the three main tasks thatpsychiatrists have to meet when talking with their patients: understanding patient’s problems and concerns; establishingthe therapeutic alliance by acknowledging and responding to patient’s emotion; informing and involving patientsand their families, when appropriate. Therapeutic decisions need the elaboration of valid strategies of shared decisionmaking,which still have to be implemented and adapted to psychiatric context. Moreover, in the research field, emergingbiomarker research may contribute to better explain what makes the difference in an empathic relationship either interms of psycho-physiological reactions and in brain changes. Finally, the influence of new technologies and of Internethas to be more and more considered during clinical consultations.