Students' Clinical Assessments: Are They Affected by Stereotyping?

Abstract

A study was designed to determine if social work students are prone to rely on stereotypical categorizations to differentiate among patients. Students were shown a series of videotaped vignettes depicting five simulated doctor-patient interactions. The five patient-actors, whose portrayals included sociocultural characteristics, presented to the same physician-actor with a nondescript complaint of abdominal pain. The students were asked to assess each patient on various parameters. The results suggested that students inappropriately attributed both positive and negative characteristics to patients, apparently on the basis of certain stereotypes. Social work educators must address values and stereotyping in clinical assessments with their students to insure the inherent dignity and worth of clients.