Brief Scientific Report
Effect of physician dress style on patient-physician relationship

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0197-0070(85)80053-XGet rights and content

This study evaluates the effect of physician dress and other variables (i.e., sex of physician and patient, age, and type and site of visit) on patient-physician rapport. Three hundred eighty-six teens filled out a questionnaire, at the end of an office visit, which evaluated their attitudes regarding their physician and their preference for physician dress. The physicians alternated between very informal, informal, formal-white coat, and formal-suit/dress styles. Dress style made no statistical difference in patients' attitudes toward their physician. When asked what they preferred their doctor to wear 43% responded “makes no difference,” 26% said “white coat,” 14% said “pants and shirt,” 10% said “jeans and shirt,” and 4% said “suit and tie.” Female patients were significantly more comfortable (3.6 versus 3.3, p < 0.01) with female physicians. Male patients did not show a preference for a same-sex physician.

References (16)

  • BlumhagenDW

    The doctor's white coat

    Ann Intern Med

    (1979)
  • AmiraS et al.

    Therapeutic attraction as a function of therapist attire and office furnishings

    J Consult Clin Psychol

    (1979)
  • BrownJ et al.

    Nurse-patient interaction before and after the substitution of street clothes for uniforms

    Int J Soc Psychiatry

    (1968)
  • LeffSH et al.

    Effect of nurses' mode of dress on behavior of psychiatric patients differing in information-processing complexity

    J Consult Clin Psychol

    (1979)
  • RinnRC

    Effects of nursing apparel upon psychiatric inpatients' behavior

    Percept Mot Skills

    (1976)
  • SterlingFE

    Net positive social approaches of young psychiatric inpatients as influenced by nurses attire

    J Consult Clin Psychol

    (1980)
  • SterlingFE et al.

    Street attire versus nurses' uniforms: A brief questionnaire

    Psychol Rep

    (1980)
  • HughesE et al.

    You are what you wear

    Hospitals

    (1979)
    HughesE et al.

    You are what you wear

    Hospitals

    (1979)
There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (40)

  • Adolescents' views of helping professionals: A review of the literature

    2007, Journal of Adolescence
    Citation Excerpt :

    Young people frequently say that they want their doctors or counsellors to be friendly or approachable (Dorer, Feehan, Vostanis, & Winkley, 1999; Ginsburg, Forke, et al., 2002; Jones et al., 1997; Nabors, Reynolds, & Weist, 2000; Oppong-Odisent & Heycock. 1997). They rate themselves as more relaxed with a GP who they see as friendly and approachable (Jacobson et al., 2001) but the professional's dress style and whether they wear a white coat is seen by most as irrelevant to how comfortable they feel (Neinstein, Stewart, & Gordon, 1985; Jones et al., 1997). The above-mentioned themes of confidentiality, being listened to, understood, and not-judged may also contribute to teenagers feeling comfortable and able to talk about their problems.

  • Attitudes regarding surgeons' attire

    2005, American Journal of Surgery
View all citing articles on Scopus
View full text