Simulating Real Life: Enhancing Social Work Education on Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention

ABSTRACT

Social work students typically use role play with student colleagues to practice clinical intervention skills. Practice with simulated clients (SCs) rather than classmates changes the dynamics of the role play and may improve learning. This is the first known study to employ the SC model in substance use assessment in social work education. Social work students completed a questionnaire assessing attitudes, knowledge, and perceived skills (AKS) regarding substance misuse prior to completing an online screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment training, and then following role plays with SCs. Paired t-tests indicate increased confidence in substance use assessment and intervention ability, and stronger feelings that routine screening is critical to practice. Incorporating SCs with didactic learning increases students’ self-perceived ability to assess and change client behaviors and reduce substance misuse.

Funding

This study was supported in part by Grant TI020288 from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Victoria A. Osborne

Victoria A. Osborne, Ph.D., MSW is Clinical Assistant Professor and Online Education Coordinator, Sacred Heart University, Department of Social Work, Fairfield CT.

Kalea Benner

Kalea Benner, Ph.D., LCSW., Director of Undergraduate Studies and Assistant Professor, University of Kentucky School of Social Work, Lexington, KY.

Debra J. Sprague

Debra J. Sprague, M.A. is Project Director, Center for Research and Evaluation, Missouri Institute of Mental Health, University of Missouri-St Louis.

Ivy N. Cleveland

Ivy N. Cleveland, M.P.H., is Data Analyst, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO.