Quality assurance of decision-making in conversations between professionals and non-professionals: identifying the presence of deliberative principles

Abstract

The ideal of dialogue is at stake in professional conversations. The aim of this study is to develop an instrument that makes it possible to compare principles of deliberation with what actually takes place in professional conversations. The developed instrument is tested on one patient's conversation with his doctor about lifestyle changes, and meetings where pupils with learning disabilities and their parents discuss further schooling with school representatives. Although in need of refinement, the conclusion is that the instrument provides meaningful insight into how much each participant contributes to the decision-making process and behaves during the conversation. © 2012 Copyright Nordic Network on Disability Research.