The most significant provider-related variables influencing
trust were related to interpersonal skills of the provider. High
emotional intelligence was significantly related to trust (Weng
2008, Weng et al. 2011). Higher ratings of provider communication,
specifically informativeness, sensitivity to concerns
and patient centredness, were predictive of higher trust
(Thom 2001, O’Malley et al. 2004, Berrios-Rivera et al.
2006). In a pre-test/posttest design study by Gordon et al.
(2006), only patient-centred communication was found to be
a statistically significant predictor of trust after consultation
with a physician compared with pre-visit trust scores.