The Patient Doctor Depth of Relationship (PDDR) scale is an eight item, patient self-completed questionnaire designed to measure patient-doctor relational depth.  It provides a score specific to the index doctor, rather than relationships in general.

It was developed in primary care by Dr Matthew Ridd and colleagues at the University of Bristol.  The content was derived from a synthesis of the patient qualitative literature on longitudinal patient-doctor relationships, and through extensive discussion with patients and experts in the field.

The PDDR scale can be used free of charge but should not be used on a commercial basis without the consent of the author. The Intellectual Property rights rest with the author.

Funding to support the questionnaire's development was provided through a Medical Research Council Clinical Training Fellowship and the RCGP Scientific Foundation Body.

Publications

Merriel SWD, Salisbury C, Metcalfe C, Ridd M. Depth of the patient–doctor relationship and content of general practice consultations: cross-sectional study. BJGP 2015; 65: e545 doi: 10.3399/bjgp15X686125

Ridd M J, Lewis G, Peters T J, Salisbury C. Detection of patient psychological distress and longitudinal patient-doctor relationships: a cross-sectional study. British Journal of General Practice 2012; 62: e167-e173 doi: 10.3399/bjgp12X630052

Ridd M J, Lewis G, Peters T J, Salisbury C. Patient-Doctor Depth-of-Relationship Scale: Development and Validation. The Annals of Family Medicine 2011; 9(6): 538-545 doi: 10.1370/afm.1322

Ridd M, Shaw A, Lewis G, Salisbury C. The patient-doctor relationship: a synthesis of the qualitative literature on patients' perspectives. BJGP 2009; 59: 268-275 doi:  10.3399/bjgp09X420248

Downloads

PDDR scale (Office document, 14kB) [Word, 14.7 KB]

PDDR scale (PDF, 34kB) [PDF, 36.0 KB]

Further work and information

The PDDR scale is currently being translated into Japenese and Korean.

For more information regarding its use and for permission to translate into other lanuages, please contact Dr Matthew Ridd.