Communication Research by Communication Scholars

Hug it Out

Written by: Annie Coghlan

Image by GLady from Pixabay[/caption]

If you had to guess, how many hugs do you receive in one day? Now, with that number in mind, think about how meaningful those hugs are; are they just simple greetings towards friends or do they allow you to feel comfort and endearment? If your answer is little to none, let me tell you why you need to increase that number!

First, try to define what a hug means to you as an individual. How long does an average hug for you last? Does it last longer than 6 seconds or do they seem to end almost as soon as they begin? Although physical touch can be a complicated thing for some individuals, it comes with so many different benefits for your lifestyle. However, I must note that in order for a hug to be beneficial, it must be at least six seconds but ideally 20 or more. A common theme you should keep a note of is, “the more the merrier”. For example, the more time you spend hugging, the more benefits you will acquire.

The benefits of increasing the number and lengths of hugs you receive daily seems to be never ending. The benefits can be physical, mental, and even social. An example of a mental benefit is the production of endorphins. When you receive a hug, your body produces endorphins, this can be described as a chemical release that relieves feelings of stress. Endorphins are also known to produce feelings of euphoria, happiness, and calmness, improving overall mental well-being. So, the more hugs you receive, the more endorphins your body will produce. The more, the merrier.

In researching more about the neurological science behind hugs, it was also noted that hugging releases the hormone oxytocin. This alone can strongly impact your physical health, improving heart health. This elevation in oxytocin levels can support not only heart health but it also creates feelings of happiness. In some research it was also said that hugs can act as a natural pain reliever for physical pain. With that being said, why would you want to hold back from benefitting yourself physically?

Having meaningful hugs throughout your day is also said to reduce stress, improve relationships and even improve your mental well-being. Stress offers little to no good benefits for an individual. It causes individuals to become less motivated, it negatively impacts your physical health, and it can have huge influences on behaviors and attitudes. Reducing stress can offer an entire list of its own benefits, including better sleep, better moods, and better relationships. Hugs can provide instant relief to your stress and in turn, can positively impact you physically, emotionally, and socially.

Personally, I feel stress and anxiety throughout every single day of my life, and I will do just about whatever it takes to reduce that stress. So, what does that mean? The short answer would be to hug more and hug longer, but what does that really entail.

In an article by Sukhman Rekhi, titled “Hugs: Benefits, Research & Quotes” Rekhi talks about the importance of how many hugs you receive in a day. Although there is no one specific number, there is infinite proof in the benefits of receiving hugs. Family therapist Virginia Satir suggests, “We need four hugs a day for survival. We need eight hugs a day for maintenance. We need twelve hugs a day for growth”. So the more the merrier, right? Even in multiple psychological studies it is suggested that partaking in hugs GENEROUSLY, has significantly better health outcomes than those who do not partake in physical touch.

In my own opinion, the only problem with this research is that it is not more well known. This could be an incredibly beneficial change in many individuals lives.  College students, children, animals, parents, elders, anyone, and everyone who experiences hugs on the daily, experiences the benefit. Spread the love and spread the word that hugging can make the difference.

All of the research proves this idea that hugs are nothing but beneficial to those who partake in them daily. So, what are you waiting for? Go find a friend, a family member, a significant other, a dog, whoever you want, and hug them. Not only are you benefitting yourself, but you are also benefitting the recipient of your hug. You and your new hug buddy can take a leap together towards a better and healthier lifestyle.

Every couple has had at least one argument and the majority of the time it is easy to resolve together. One that I have seen in not only my past relationships, but many others in this day and age is over social media. Have you ever experienced your significant other worried about your presence online? For example, whose picture you like, who you are following, or has your partner ever been so consumed with social media that they pay little to no attention to your emotional, physical, and/or psychological needs. I have been on the side where I am not the one monitoring what they do, but the one being monitored by my past romantic relationship.

In an academic paper called “Evaluating the Use of Social Media in Escalating Conflicts in Romantic Relationships” published by Wiley, they discuss the correlation between social media and conflicts in romantic relationships. The purpose of the study was to evaluate if there is a significant relationship between social media use and conflict in romantic relationships. The study also explored whether jealousy, monitoring, and infidelity helped clarify the negative use of social media in romantic relationships resulting in conflict.

In the study, they gathered 567 undergraduate students from the ages ranging from 18-35 years old. The first question they asked was “Are you in a relationship?” only those who answered yes could continue on in the survey. This resulted in the number of participants dropping to 373 undergraduate students. The study had consisted of 221 Females (59.2%) and 152 males (40.8%).

After they had conducted their research they found that when romantic partners use social media there is a high tendency to engage in various activities that may lead to conflict in such a relationship. Examples of this are when one partner may become distracted and pay more attention to activities on social media such as chatting, reading news feeds, and commenting on pictures. Another example is if one partner becomes so attached to their social media platforms they may begin to pay little to no attention to their significant others’ emotional, physical, and psychological needs.

The study also established that social media use in romantic relationships might facilitate individuals becoming jealous of their partners’ activity online. Some examples of this would be if your partner would never post you on Instagram for instance you may feel jealous towards this as it is something you would like them to do or maybe you may feel like they are hiding your relationship. Another example would be if you begin to monitor what posts your partner is liking, what accounts he is following, or who he is communicating with online. This can lead to jealousy, which then brings conflict into the relationship.

For infidelity, the study has shown that social media is not necessarily a predictor of it in romantic relationships. Even though partners may interact with others online it doesn’t mean it is considered infidelity.

Overall, the study shows that jealousy is the highest cause of social media leading to conflict in a romantic relationship. It also shows that when romantic partners monitor the activities of their partner on social media, we can predict that there will be conflict.

In my own past relationship, I was very open with my significant other. There were times that I was asked by him to block people online because of how they interacted with me or he did not feel comfortable knowing they could reach out to me. This made me upset due to the fact that I felt he didn’t trust me when I was very open with everything on my social media.

When getting into a relationship there should be boundaries placed or there should be a very good lane of communication open. This could potentially help in the future to avoid any conflict that may arise. But also put the phone down sometimes, when you become so consumed you can eventually begin to start ignoring your partner’s needs. Social media has a hold on all of us, but we need to make sure that it is not affecting our relationships, especially our romantic relationships.

Written By: Marissa Sweger

Did you feel stressed, anxious, or hopeless the last time you took an exam before, during, or after it? If you answered yes, then you might have test anxiety. Test anxiety is a severe version of these feelings when taking an exam. It is very common among college students ages 18-30. As college students, we take multiple classes while having other obligations that take up our time. These things can stop you from properly studying or adding extra stress. There is also the fear of asking for help. You may need help with your courses and additional support but are too anxious to ask. I’ve been there. You or someone you know will probably face anxiety over taking an exam in your collegiate career.

I’ve always had severe test anxiety. From elementary school to now, as a junior in college, I find myself afraid of taking exams. When I take an exam, I feel like I jumped into ice water. I feel frozen. My mind goes blank, my heart races, and my palms sweat. I get nervous just at the thought of taking a test. These are the feelings I went through when I had to take an in-person exam, but during the pandemic, I noticed that my test anxiety decreased when taking exams online. During the pandemic, we had to switch to a new kind of learning, which brought a new way of taking exams. So, how do communication and taking online exams help reduce test anxiety?

The study “Saudi Undergraduate Students’ Preferences toward Tests and Test Anxiety Differences in Blended Learning” by Alghmdi (2022) from the International Journal of Linguistics, Literature & Translation examines the difference in test anxiety during face-to-face and online exams. In the study, 138 female undergraduate students filled out questionnaires about their level of anxiety with paper and online tests. Test anxiety can negatively impact student performance, which can be a serious problem for learners and eventually lead to low academic achievement. This study found that the students preferred better control, fast and easy use, friendly interfaces, and instantaneous feedback that online testing provides.

Research has also shown that there is a direct impact on supportive communication networks and test anxiety and performance. In the study “The impact of supportive communication networks on test anxiety and performance,” by Goldsmith and Albrecht (1993) found that outside supportive communication can positively or negatively impact test anxiety. People with high stress aren’t likely to ask those in their class for help due to feeling inferior. They are more likely to seek out knowledge from their friends and family, who make up the majority of their social circle. Students perceive supportive communication from outside the classroom to be helpful, and it is positively related to exam grades for students with high anxiety. It was found, however, that outside relationships can’t provide any help for exam-based support, whereas a student might benefit from a classmate’s knowledge.

The way I studied changed during the pandemic; I used new resources available to me, such as drop-in Zoom office hours and class discussion posts, to gain a deeper understanding of the course material. Before that, I was too afraid to ask for help for fear of people thinking I was dumb. These things helped me feel more at ease when it was time to take those online exams.

I had taken some virtual courses at community college. Those virtual classes also prepared me for the transition during the pandemic and helped me understand what study methods worked for me. Another thing that helped was taking my exams in a room by myself. Knowing that everyone around me is finishing their exam makes me think I should finish mine faster so I’m not the last one done. Research has taught me some good coping skills to help with my test anxiety.

As you go through college, whether that be as an undergraduate or graduate, you’ll probably be faced with test anxiety at some point. There are many resources available to help cope with test anxiety. Whether that be learning efficient study habits, getting help from a tutor or professor, or even getting more sleep. There is no shame in asking for help from peers and tutors. You won’t look like an idiot, and more times than not, your peers are happy to help because they are going through the same thing. You could try focusing on positive thoughts and affirmations before you take your exam. I eat sour candy before an exam because my therapist told me that eating something sour is a good distraction technique for anxiety. Refrain from exhausting yourself with studying. Take a break occasionally, and do something fun like phone a friend or watch an episode of your favorite show. You might never completely eliminate your test anxiety, but you can manage it.

Image by Silvo Bilinski from Pixabay

By Tyler Rake.

Yes. Communication is possible when there is no one around. How do I know this, well during the COVID 19 Pandemic many new communication pathways were explored thoroughly due to the nature of the disease. In 2020 the COVID 19 pandemic changed the world as we knew it forever which meant many things we were used to had to change over the course of a few weeks. This change made it difficult to advertise things in the usual way businesses do so many businesses took up radio opportunities to still reach clients

Some important things and pros to radio messages.

• Radio messages are personal
• People still listen to radio
• Radio reaches a wide audience
• Radio has been around for a long time

The important thing to realize in communicating to distant audiences is that it is possible but the communication method needs to be different than an article called “The Sound of Responsibility: Evolution of the Use of Radio Advertising as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Communication Channel Before and After Covid-19, A Significant Increase” In order for businesses to continue to operate during the pandemic they had to do advertising in a crisis situation which led to a change in how advertising was carried out. Radio advertising is meant to be much more personal as well as trustworthy. Therefore, companies had to all fit the same general genre of advertising which is credible and welcoming advertising. To this day radio is still one of the most trusted platforms for advertising.

People everywhere still listen to the radio which is why it is such a big platform for information and advertising. Even if a radio is playing in the background somewhere people are still listening to the radio and getting whatever information they need from it even if they aren’t actively trying to listen to it. This is why radio reaches more people compared to television or social media because people of all ages listen to radio. If a company is reaching out to older clients, they most likely don’t look into social media as much as a younger generation, but they do still listen to radio. If organizations want to reach a younger audience. The same thing applies in the fact that they may have restrictions, but younger audiences may listen to the radio with their parents

One of the positives for moving advertising to radio is that radio, even though it isn’t a main source of information or entertainment as much as it used to be, still reaches the most people compared to television or billboards or other forms of advertising which allows companies to still reach a wide variety of listeners. Something that is also worth mentioning is that in times of crisis people tend to turn to traditional forms of media to get accurate information and luckily for organizations radio is one of those traditional forms of media

Radio has been around since the early 1900’s and has been a source of information since the very beginning. Before televisions existed, radios used to be what families would gather around and listen to for entertainment and information. Even when the television did come out, they were so expensive that radios were still very popular even when television programs gained major popularity.

Something that also helped organizations is that rather than attacking the listener with advertisements that are supposed to be big and bold to get them to buy or use their product or service organizations used radio more as a means of communicating information. This form of advertising not only allowed the organizations to show what their company has to offer but allowed the companies to gain the listeners of the radio stations’ trust.

So. How effective was radio advertising during the COVID 19 pandemic? The answer to that question is extremely effective. Radio is what allowed some businesses to stay afloat during a time of great turmoil and crisis. The reputation of the radio allowed businesses to redirect their advertising efforts and make new campaigns in order to be able to survive during something that was completely new to everyone.

Radio has and will continue to be a reliable and trusted source of information for people even in times when communication can seem impossible. So. Is radio ,even though it is old, a viable option for communication? I’ve made my case now it’s time for you to make yours.

Written by: Marisa Manns

Are you finding yourself worried about your career, getting through a higher education, moving into your first apartment, or watching your friends start to leave home to go on and do bigger things? As a young adult, stress is something you may know all too well. As you begin to worry about bigger things, you may feel like your head is absolutely scrambled – and that’s okay. First of all, breathe. But also, you should try journaling.

Journaling is a great way to sort your thoughts out. The best part is, it’s a private form of communication, so you can write about whatever you want! Nobody has to see your journal besides you. Personally, journaling has become one of my favorite parts of the day and has immensely helped me self-reflect to ultimately have a clearer mind.

Why should you journal as a young adult? An article titled Write to Heal: The Benefits of Journal Writing for the Body and Mind states that journaling is one of the most simple, effective, and fashionable ways to keep track of and work on ideas and plants. Journal writing focuses on the writer’s internal sensations, responses, and thoughts. Write to Heal: The Benefits of Journal Writing for the Body and Mind also claims that writing down your thoughts and problems helps to advocate for positive reflection and motives, which greatly aids in decision-making. Journaling can help the writer observe experiences more clearly and release stress from their minds.

Journaling does not only give you full freedom to write whatever you want, but you can also journal whenever you want. I’ve found that I enjoy journaling the most either in the morning right after waking up, or at night before going to sleep. As the morning is the start of your day, morning journaling can help prepare you to reach your goals in the day ahead. Nighttime journaling (my personal favorite) is a great way to reflect upon the day and clear your mind before a good night’s rest. In addition to this, you can journal wherever you want; but you may want to journal in private to make the most of it.

In my personal experience, I also love to set the scene. Shut your door and sit in a comfy space (I love to journal in my bed, but you can also sit on your favorite couch or beanbag). I also sometimes light a candle, burn some incense, put my oil diffuser on, or turn on my sunset lamp while journaling. By all means you do not have to set the scene, but I will say, it’s extremely relaxing, and those are just a few ways you can do so.

As a young adult nearing college graduation, I have a lot on my plate. Planning my post-graduate life while still trying to focus on the present and finish school out strong is not easy. It’s quite stressful. I’ve found that journaling is a therapeutic activity that helps me release these stressful feelings. I’d like to clarify, however, that journaling is not only an activity for stress. I also love to journal about my successes and the things I’m proud of.

Journaling about your successes will remind you of all the accomplishments you have made. It’s a way for you to look back on your personal growth! Make it a priority to be proud of yourself because during these stressful times, you must have your own back. So write about the A you got on your test, write about the interview that went really well, write about how you went to the gym for the first time in three years, or even about the really good dinner you made last night! (These are just a few of many examples). Just as journaling is a great space to release your negative thoughts, it’s also a way to remember the positive thoughts and acknowledge your accomplishments.

What I am really trying to get at, is that journaling improves your communication skills with yourself as it’s a way to organize your thoughts and properly articulate them. This can then lead to improved communication with others in your life. More specifically, we’ve learned that journaling has a positive impact on:

• Self Reflection – Journaling encourages introspection and self awareness.
• Decision-Making – Reflecting on important decisions in your journal can provide clarity and insight.
• Goal Setting – Journaling can help you set and achieve personal and professional goals.
• Self Awareness – It encourages you to acknowledge your thoughts, feelings, and actions.
• Emotional Release – Writing about intense emotions can be a relief. It can be helpful when dealing with grief, anger, or frustration.
• Self Discovery – It can help you understand yourself better, uncovering your values, beliefs, and personal growth opportunities.
• Memory Preservation – Keeping a journal allows you to revisit past experiences and relive them through your words.
• Accountability – Journaling can help you hold yourself accountable to your goals, habits, and commitments.

So what’s stressing you out? What has been going well for you? What do you feel like you need to work on? What are you feeling and thinking in general? Write it down, you might be able to give yourself a whole lot of clarity in this hard time of life.

Are your phone habits stopping you from getting sleep on time? When you find yourself in the middle of a busy semester or work week, sleep can start to become increasingly less of a priority as things pile up. This can often lead to problems such as less energy, anxiety, depression, and especially a lessened ability to focus. These are very common symptoms of our busy culture where phone dependency is on the rise. Here are a few tips that can help you better understand your sleep habits and further inspire you to put the phone down before bed!

One study based in Duy Tam University in Vietnam decided to examine the relationship between electronic device usage and sleep. By surveying around 300 university students between 18 and 25, they found that a whopping 98.1% admitted to using electronic devices two hours before bedtime. Additionally they discovered that 48.8%, almost half of all participants were experiencing some kind of sleep trouble. While the study isn’t all inclusive, it does bring up a very important question: How much time should we really be spending on devices?

According to the National Sleep Foundation it is recommended that 7-9 hours of quality sleep are needed for young adults to thrive. At the end of the day it can be tempting to want to lie down and let your phone do the thinking for you. However once scrolling becomes a habit, your sleep hygiene will start to suffer.

The main issue with our device usage begins when we are exposed to excess amounts of light before we go to sleep. The function which regulates our sleep is something we call our circadian rhythm. In essence, it tells our body when it’s time to go to sleep and wake up. The way that our internal clocks function is majorly in response to the light produced by our environments. What this means is that when we come in contact with large amounts of light at night, our brains may interpret this as it being daytime. When this happens, we become more alert and it becomes much harder to get to sleep. Many people at the end of a long day may end up feeding their eyes large amounts of blue light. This means that no matter how tired we may feel, our brains might simply not be ready for bed.

Despite the facts, it can be challenging to break away long enough to get yourself in the right mindset for bed. Here are a few suggestions that can help you cool your brain down before bed:

• Curling up with a good book
• Practicing meditation and deep breathing exercises
• Listening to soothing or relaxing music
• Taking a warm shower
• Stretching or Yoga
• Avoiding overstimulation
• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Make sure you’re exercising regularly

Overall there are all sorts of ways you can avoid the urge to scroll before bed. Even if it seems like your phone is all you have at times, lowering your exposure can help your sleep schedule improve exponentially. According to the study it’s generally alright to use your phone for about a half an hour, but always be aware that time doesn’t stop when you’re scrolling. If you manage to find your own way to break away from the screen, you’ll find that life can always get better!

What are some of the activities that you like to do before bed? Be sure to leave a comment and tells us below!

Speak More, Text Less

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The continuous complaints about how children, young adults, and overall those of all different age groups are regressing in their basic social skills have continued to be a problem that they struggle to overcome. As many of our parents have said, “It’s because of that damn phone”, there is truth to that scolding statement. Social media can be used to help us socialize, but only from the media aspect rather than the interpersonal perspective. For what it’s worth, the use of social media can be used to improve our skills. However, the risks of learning how to interact with others in certain situations and scenarios can’t always be taught from the devices we possess. 

Whether it’s deemed as a distraction, addiction, or obsession the amount of time spent on technology not only has the opportunity to deteriorate from advancing social skills but also just developing them when those who may need to improve at social skills when in it comes to scenarios such as interviews, networking, and common interaction with other individuals. Additionally, technology can also offer various resources and tools to help individuals improve their communication and social skills. There are numerous apps, online courses, and virtual communities dedicated to teaching and enhancing these skills. By utilizing technology in a productive manner, individuals can actively work towards improving their social interactions.

Credit:Anchiy

With that being said, excessive use of technology can lead to a lack of face-to-face interactions and reduced opportunities for individuals to practice and develop their social skills in real-life scenarios. Spending too much time on technology can result in isolation and limited exposure to diverse social situations. This can create a developmental lack of important social skills such as empathy, active listening, and non-verbal communication.

1. If It’s Not Needed, Delete It: For those susceptible to collecting and having a variety of unused apps. The best way to better the amount of time that goes unspent is to declutter any unused apps or data to have less of a reason to check or be on your technological devices. Considerably, those who spend copious amounts of time on their phone should take a more minimalist approach to the storage of their applications. Rather than trying to go cold turkey at their usage, it may make it easier to adjust their time by finding a balance between lessening one side of their libra scale from what is not needed or used by the users themselves.
2. Bridge The Gap Between Social and The Media: Rather than letting social media create a barrier between those who use it. Let it become a bridging of the gap between the screen and face-to-face interaction. Rather than just allowing online groups and individuals to contact each other via social media, use the opportunity to create plans, attend events, and interact beyond the limits of social media. Overall, the key is to use social media as a means to facilitate real-life interactions, rather than allowing it to become a substitute for them. Encourage individuals to use social media platforms to organize meetups, gatherings, or activities with like-minded individuals. This can help bridge the gap between the virtual and physical worlds, allowing people to connect and form deeper relationships beyond the screen.
3. Finding A Happy Medium Through The Media

In what can be difficult, is social media a dangerous place for those who aren’t mentally strong enough to endure the negativity and complications that come with scrolling through other people’s portrayals of perfect lives? Which can be harmful to those feelings of loneliness and disconnect from real-life relationships. Regarding that, social media should be reflective or have an aspiring outlook on what they aim to achieve, obtain, or have. Almost as if surrounding yourself with positive individuals, social media can be used to create a positive echo chamber that doesn’t negatively impact the mindset of someone.

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A study reported by Dr. J. Ryan Fuller found that  75% of teenagers own cell phones, and 25% use them for social media, 54% for texting, and 24% for instant messaging.  With that being an increase, the growth in these numbers could be potentially damaging to those who refrain from face-to-face interaction. In what may seem harmless, the internal repercussions in how technology creates a negative impact on social skills will only worsen if changes aren’t made in a way to better balance.

In conclusion, it’s important for individuals to find a balance between virtual and real-life social interactions, and to actively seek opportunities to engage with others in person. By doing so, they can create and maintain meaningful relationships, develop essential social skills, and live a well-rounded and fulfilling life.

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Written By: Tania Randazzo

When you think of people you can trust, who comes to mind? Family, friends, teachers, healthcare professionals. These are all important people in most people’s lives who they are supposed to trust wholeheartedly. However, trust cannot be achieved without proper communication. Although it is important to have trust and good communication, it is especially important when it comes to healthcare professionals.

Effective communication between healthcare workers and their patients is explained in detail in an article written by Haran Ratna titled The Importance of Effective Communication in Healthcare Practice. In order to truly understand the why effective communication is important, it is important to know what effective communication is. According to the article, “Effective communication can be defined as verbal speech or other methods of relaying information in order to get a point across. If either party does not understand the purpose of the information conveyed, communication cannot be effective.” In simpler terms, effective communication can only be done when both parties understand what is being communication, whether verbally or not, and why it is being communicated. In a healthcare environment this is extremely crucial in many ways. The article states 3 main reasons which I will list below.

1. It is important for patients to communicate their health issues or concerns with their healthcare provider.
2. In order to treat their patients correctly, healthcare workers need to be able to understand and interpret the information that their patients give to them in regards to their health.
3. Healthcare workers must adequately understand the information given to them from their patient in order to relay the most accurate information in order to help their patient maintain their health in the most effective way for them.

Like most people, I take my health very seriously and when I am in a healthcare facility, I expect my healthcare worker to properly communicate to me what they are doing, why they are doing it, and how they are going to do it. For most people, when they go to a healthcare facility it is because they are not feeling well or something does not feel right with their body and they do not understand what it is. It is then the job of the healthcare professional to take into consideration all the patients concerns and communicate back to them what is the best course of action for them. Especially as a young adult, I am one myself, sometimes it is difficult to be fully honest with your doctors for many reasons. Whether that be fear, shame, embarrassment and therefore it is not always correct communication that is given to the healthcare provider and therefore they cannot give effective communication back. Not to mention, as a young adult, our bodies are constantly changing and developing. Sometimes we don’t know what is considered normal and what isn’t. It is so important to check with healthcare professionals in regards to health and well being even if it is just to answer some questions. When there is lack of understanding between one or both parties, this can intensely affect whether the communication will be beneficial or not.

According to the article mentioned previously when there is ineffective communication in healthcare practices, “… healthcare delivery becomes ineffective. Ineffective healthcare delivery increases the likelihood of negative patient outcomes. It also increases patient utilization and inpatient and emergency care.” In simpler terms, ineffective communication can lead to an increase in negative patient outcomes meaning there is a higher chance of not being diagnosed/treated with something because of lack of information/reasonings to do so. Therefore, it will also lead to an increase in use of things such as emergency care because of lack of proper treatment due to insufficient communication.

Reading this article helped me, as a young adult and I believe it could help other young adults to, to be more aware of the importance of good and effective communication with healthcare workers. It is important to build that trust and to know why it is important to be honest and have effective communication to your healthcare provider. Even as a healthcare provider, it is also important to have good communication with your patient. From young adult to young adult, I will conclude with this question. Have you exhibited good and effective communication with your health provider? Why or why not?