The Effect of Dressing Styles and Attitudes of Psychiatrists on Treatment Preferences: Comparison between Patients and Psychiatrists

Abstract

Introduction: Recently, different dressing styles and attitudes of psychiatrists have been proposed to enhance the interaction between patients and the physician. The aim of the present study was to investigate the preferences of dressing style and attitudes of a psychiatrist of the patients referred to an outpatient psychiatry clinic and the perception of psychiatrists regarding the preferences of the patients.

Methods: One hundred and fifty-three patients referred to the outpatient psychiatry clinic of the Bülent Ecevit University School of Medicine, and 94 psychiatrists have been included in the present study.

Results: When the images of psychiatrists were evaluated in terms of referral for treatment, trust in treatment, and willingness to share their confidential matters, both groups gave minimum scores to causal/sports dress style. While psychiatrists preferred to dress in a suit, casuals, and white coat, the preference order was white coat, casual dress, and suit in the patient group. There was a significant difference between the groups with respect to three dressing styles.

Conclusion: It can be suggested that psychiatrists assume that patients are traditional in terms of their preference of the dressing style of a doctor and doctor-patient relationship, and a white coat is important to enhance the treatment adherence of patients.

Keywords: Patient; dress; psychiatry; relationship; white coat.

Figure 1. a–d

Dress styles of psychiatrist. (a) suit, (b) casual dress (shirt, sweater, blue jean), (c) causal/sports dress (t shirt and capri pants), (d) white coat