The ever increasing importance of interpersonal skills both to personal well-being and to effectiveness in professional practice is reflected in the burgeoning research literature on skilled communication. The Handbook of Communication Skills is recognised as one of the foremost texts in this area, and this updated and expanded new edition will be welcomed by practitioners and theorists alike. In response to the increasing demand for information on dimensions of interviewing, a section on 'Interviewing contexts' has been included, with chapters on the key interviewing contexts of selection, helping and appraisal, as well as the exciting new field of cognitive interviewing. In addition, a chapter on 'Relational communication' has been included since this is one of the areas of most rapid growth in social psychology and communication. The Handbook of Communication Skills represents the most significant single contribution to literature in this domain, and has chapters by world leaders in their particular fields. It will be of continued interest to researchers and students in psychology, as well as the vast range of people in the 'interpersonal professions'. As such, the Handbook is used in a wide variety of contexts, from theoretical mainstream communications modules on degree programmes to vocational courses in health, business and education.