A broad and accessible introduction to communication and its importance in relationships and interactions.
Offers theory, guidance, and prompts for mental health professionals. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Includes client-friendly guidance. Downloads are in Fillable PDF format where appropriate.
Communication is central to human functioning, enabling people to form and maintain relationships, build trust, collaborate, achieve goals, and navigate personal and professional contexts. Communication also allows for the co-construction of meaning, shared understanding, and the expression of thoughts, emotions, and needs. Importantly, effective communication plays a crucial role in resolving interpersonal conflicts and navigating relationship difficulties.
The What Is Communication? information handout introduces clients to the core elements of communication, including its purpose, modalities, associated challenges, and the positive impact of assertiveness.
Communication is a critical but often underdeveloped skill that can impact mental health, relational satisfaction, and workplace performance. This handout helps clients understand:
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Clients who struggle to express themselves due to low mood.
Clients who avoiding social interactions.
Individuals experiencing communication difficulties in personal or professional relationships.
Clients needing support to express themselves with confidence.
Clients who tend to communicate in aggressive ways.
Use the handout to introduce clients to the key aspects of communication.
Invite clients to reflect on how they tend to communicate.
Discuss how communication difficulties may have contributed to current problems.
Frame assertiveness training as a possible solution or skill worth learning.
Communication is a dynamic and interactive process that takes place between at least two participants (a ‘sender’ and a ‘receiver’) and involves the exchange of verbal and non-verbal information (Watzlawick et al., 1968). In simple terms, it entails the sender encoding a message and the receiver decoding it using a shared set of ‘signs,’ such as a common language (Shannon & Weaver, 1972).
People convey messages using various modalities, including verbal communication (e.g., spoken and written language) and non-verbal communication (e.g., facial expressions, gestures, touch, and use of personal space; McKay et al., 2018). Communication via electronic technology (e.g., email, text messaging, video conferencing, and social media) has also become commonplace over recent decades, with each method presenting its own unique challenges and considerations (e.g., Full et al., 2024).
Numerous factors influence how people communicate. These factors can be categorized as internal (e.g., personality traits, mood states, beliefs, and expectations about their communication) or external (e.g., cultural contexts, social expectations, and the physical environment; Alden & Cappe, 1981; Gilbert & Allan, 1994; Pfafman & McEwan, 2014; Orenstein et al., 1975). While each person's way of communicating is unique, research has identified several ‘communication styles’: clusters of conversational behaviors that constitute a communication pattern (Chłopicki, 2017). In assertiveness literature, for example, communication styles are usually categorised as either assertive or non-assertive (Bonham-Carter, 2012; Speed et al., 2018).
Given the complexity of human communication, it is not surprising that it sometimes fails. ‘Communicative competence’ – the ability to express oneself appropriately while being sensitive to others' needs and interests – has been identified as a key component of effective communication (Wiemann, 1977). This includes the ability to present one’s position effectively, find suitable means to convey a message, demonstrate interpersonal sensitivity, show empathy, and exhibit openness. People’s communication competence varies, which can significantly impact their ability to interact with others successfully and perform their roles effectively (Rohner & Schutz, 2024).
Assertiveness has been identified as a particularly effective form of communication (Hayward et al., 2012; Paterson, 2022). While definitions of assertive communication vary, most emphasize clear, direct, and honest communication that respects oneself and others, without anxiety or undue guilt (Rakos, 1991, Lange & Jakubowski, 1976; Hayward et al., 2012; Linehan, 1979). Research has associated assertiveness with numerous benefits, including improved relationships (e.g., Epstein et al., 1978), workplace benefits (Karatuna et al., 2020), enhanced personal safety (Simpson Rowe et al., 2012), as well as reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression (Speed et al., 2018). Importantly, research indicates that assertiveness is a skill that can be learned, as evidenced by the effectiveness of assertiveness training programs (Rakos, 1991; Speed et al., 2018).
