Developers: Debra Roter
Year of publication: 1977 (first use)
Date of last revision: 18 September 2019
Setting in which the tool was originally developed/validated: The RIAS was first used and validated in primary care settings in the US and the Netherlands but it has also been used in the following settings: Emergency medicine, OB/GYN, Family planning, Surgery, Oncology, HIV, Pharmacy, Pediatrics, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Genetic Counseling, Telemedicine, Mental health
Restriction to setting(s): None
Target group: Clinicians and care providers of all kinds, including community Health Workers and Peer counselors; patients and health care clients in the developed and developing world
Language(s): English
Translations(s): Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, Swedish, Swiss/German
Tool topics:
General communication behavior / Overall communication behavior
Socio-emotional focused communication
Task-oriented/technical /instrumental communication
Specific constructs/behaviours:
RIAS consists of 40 largely parallel categories of talk assigned to each speaker in the medical encounter, with a handful of codes that are unique to a clinician or patient. Each code is assigned to a discrete statement that captures a complete thought and to which a classification may be assigned. These statements may vary in length from a single word to a simple sentence but is limited to conveying a single thought or item of interest. Compound sentences are often divided at the conjunction. RIAS category codes are defined by form and content (task or affective), and are straightforward and intuitive. The codes are flexible and responsive to study content, allowing for tailoring of categories.
Types of data required to use the tool: Video recordings, Audio recordings
Intended application: Research
Reference(s) to development/validation paper(s):
www.RIASWORKS.COM provides a bibliography of over 250 RIAS studies conducted world-wide that have contributed to the body of work that has validated the system.
Tool/manual available: Yes. (I am willing to share the coding manual, training materials and associated documentation and publications. Not uploaded)
Additional information on copyright or other matters: Debra Roter holds copyright protection of the RIAS. The RIAS may not be modified, adapted or changed in any way without written permission from the author. Reserchers are encouraged to use the system after training and with written approval by the author. Large-scale commercial, educational, or institutional use of the RIAS is not allowed without prior written authorization and agreement with the author.
Access: Public
Contact: Debra Roter
English 
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German 
Spanish