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9/07/2025  |   1:00 PM - 4:00 PM   |  Instructional Session   |  Ski-U-Mah

IMPROVing Communication about cCMV – Empowering Families and Professionals in Difficult Conversation

Abstract Summary

Advocacy plays a significant role for both parents and professionals affected by congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV). However, cCMV advocacy often feels like conflict due to varying cCMV outcomes and available treatment options, limited resources available for cCMV screening and reporting, and the prevalence of cCMV scientific misinformation or disinformation, even among public health and policy stakeholders. A central challenge in cCMV policy work is engaging with uncertainty, as the complexities of cCMV make it difficult to offer definitive universal answers or solutions. Applied improvisation is a method that uses communication exercises such as group play, peer feedback, and reflection. It fosters greater agility in active listening, self-awareness, emotional presence, empathy, collaboration, and respect for multiple perspectives. This skill set allows individuals to navigate uncertainty and engage in positive conflict (or conflict competence), ultimately supporting more effective advocacy. This session will bring together parents and professionals in an interactive workshop where participants will work in pairs or small groups to play theatre games, followed by a debrief to discuss how applied improvisation exercises can be applied to cCMV advocacy. The workshop is designed in three parts. The first section focuses on creating a collaborative environment through appreciative inquiry. In the second part, participants will engage in exercises designed to improve listening skills and distill key information. The final exercises will build skills for engaging in conversations with skeptics. By the end of this workshop, participants will have gained communication strategies and skills that enable them to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, simplify complex scientific concepts, and use storytelling as a tool for clearer communication. Key takeaways will include strategies for empowering families and professionals to build strong cCMV advocacy teams to improve public health outcomes at local, state, or national levels.

Learning Objectives

• Demonstrate Enhanced Communication Skills: Participants will apply improvisation techniques to improve listening, empathy, and emotional awareness, helping them engage in positive, collaborative discussions in cCMV advocacy.
• Integrate and Simplify Complex Information: Participants will learn strategies to translate scientific concepts and personal stories about cCMV into clear, understandable language for cCMV stakeholders, particularly in uncertain situations.
• Develop Conflict Competence: Participants will gain skills to identify and manage conflict constructively, using improvisation to foster collaboration, resolve disagreements, and maintain respectful dialogue in cCMV advocacy.

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