Non-verbal behaviour in same-sex and mixed-sex physiotherapist-patient interactions(1.).
Six male and six female physiotherapists were videotaped while treating male and female patients. The average duration of the therapist's gaze, smiling, touch, and speech, as well as the ratio of therapist's to patient's speech, were computed. It was found that these non-verbal behaviours differed as a function of sex of physiotherapist, sex of patient and point in the interaction. It was suggested that physiotherapists should increase their awareness of these behaviours in their interactions with patients.