Roche Foundation Award to the ‘Decision Project’

“The project aims to improve a fundamental aspect of the doctor-patient relationship, that is communication, which not only concerns the words that are used and what is said, but also and above all how something is said, and therefore the tone of voice, non-verbal language and the similarity of the style with which we speak “. Thus Dario Monzini, researcher in general psychology at the University of Milan and the European Institute of Oncology in Milan and winner of one of the eight prizes promoted by the Roche Foundation with his fifth call “Roche Foundation for independent research”, explains the idea behind his ‘Decision Project’. “Using an innovative method – continues Monzini – we will focus above all on linguistic and communication styles and on the more formal aspects of doctor-patient communication to understand the dynamics and improve the patient’s experience. According to some studies, people who are able to change their linguistic style based on that of the interlocutor are considered more empathic and with my Decision project I want to translate these evidences into oncology, and in particular in the process that leads to taking of a decision in medicine, such as the choice of the most suitable therapy for the patient “.