

However, to the best of our knowledge, little or no research has been performed to understand the relation between ability to recognize micro expressions and personality or the differential effects of METT and SETT on different personalities. Another study showed university students with higher emotional lie detection accuracies had higher SETT scores except METT scores, indicating that both METT and SETT are needed for micro expression training.Īcademic achievement and clinical performance capacity are known to be correlated with personality.

A previous study conducted on medical students reported that only students in the top 25% of their class showed improvements in ability to recognize micro expressions as determined METT. METT is a training module that improves ability to spot short facial expressions, whereas SETT focuses on recognizing small movements of face apparent when a person is trying to deliberately or unconsciously control a strong emotion. The micro expression training tool (METT) and the subtle expression training tool (SETT) were devised as facial expression training programs. Furthermore, the greater the ability of residents and fellows to read subtle facial expressions, the higher patients rank empathy, A previous study reported that brief empathy training modules, such as, the Ekman test, improve the facial decoding abilities of resident physicians, although only 14 pictures was used for micro expression training and exposure times per face were not controlled. Non-verbal communication, which includes micro expression, are strong and brief facial expressions that last only between 1/15 and 1/24 of a second, and betray true emotions. A patient-doctor communication skills model that includes understanding of patient’s perspective has been developed, but the time allowed within medical curricula for teaching and reinforcing non-verbal communication skills is insufficient. There are two basic categories of communication: verbal and non-verbal, and non-verbal skills may have greater effects on patient trust and satisfaction with medical services. Therefore, communication skill training and education aimed at improving empathy are indispensable for preparing medical students to be good doctors. Furthermore, enhanced physician-patient rapport through empathy has been reported to reduce physician stress and burnout. Empathy is the ability to identify and understand the feelings and emotions of others, and in physicians, empathy-building improves patient outcomes and reduces complaints about medical services.
