Research shows that a number of provider interactional skills are empirically related to patient adherence, making interaction skills a necessary and important part of clinical competence. These skills fall into three broad categories: techniques to elicit and modify patients' health and treatment beliefs, to aid recall of information, and to aid adherence. Specific skills in each category are discussed. Research further shows that health care providers can be taught effective communication skills, and that one of the most effective teaching techniques is audio or video feedback in which the provider's interaction with a patient is judged by tutor and peers using explicit, empirically based criteria.