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Table 3 Items included in each of the three factors

From: Assessing medical students' attitudes towards learning communication skills – which components of attitudes do we measure?

Factor 1 – "LEARNING"

13 items – Cronbach's α = 0.861 Skewness = -1.064

2 I can't see the point in learning communication skills *

6 I haven't got time to learn communication skills *

7 Learning communication skills is interesting

8 I can't be bothered to turn up to sessions on communication skills *

10 Learning communication skills has improved my ability to communicate with patients

11 Communication skills teaching states the obvious and then complicates it *

12 Learning communication skills is fun

13 Learning communication skills is too easy *

18 When applying for medicine, I thought it was a really good idea to learn communication skills

21 I think it's really useful learning communication skills on the medical degree

24 I find it difficult to take communication skills learning seriously *

25 Learning communication skills is important because my ability to communicate is a lifelong skill

26 Communication skills learning should be left to psychology students, not medical students *

Factor 2 – "IMPORTANCE"

5 items – Cronbach's α = 0.532 Skewness = -0.581

1 In order to be a good doctor I must have good communication skills

3 Nobody is going to fail their medical degree for having poor communication skills *

4 Developing my communication skills is just as important as developing my knowledge of medicine

19 I don't need good communication skills to be a doctor *

22 My ability to pass exams will get me through medical school rather than my ability to communicate *

Factor 3 – "RESPECTING"

4 items – Cronbach's α = 0.775 Skewness = -0.404

5 Learning communication skills has helped or will help me respect patients

9 Learning communication skills has helped or will help facilitate my team-working skills

14 Learning communication skills has helped or will help me respect my colleagues

16 Learning communication skills has helped or will help me recognise patients' rights regarding confidentiality and informed consent

  1. Wording of items and measures of internal reliability and skewness for each factor
  2. * Item is negative and the score is reversed