Cognitive and affective processes: MSW students’ awareness and coping through simulated interviews

ABSTRACT

Social workers engage with and hold the emotional context of clients, while managing their own cognitive and affective reactions. As such, the importance of attending to social work students’ emotional reactions in the classroom to effectively prepare them for field education and practice has been recognized. A greater understanding of cognitive and affective processes and how to teach students to be increasingly self-aware can better equip future social workers with the necessary competencies for practice. The current exploratory qualitative study examined the role of affective and cognitive processes of MSW students in simulated client interviews. Thematic analysis was used to analyze reflection questionnaires completed by MSW students (N = 57) after a simulated client interview in a voluntary educational activity (Practice Fridays). The perceptions of participants illustrated a range of emotional awareness, impact of emotions and emotion regulation which intertwined with their cognitive processes and enactment of procedural competencies. Themes identified included: awareness of emotional reactions, and client understanding; impact of emotions from enhancing to interfering; identification of coping, and connection between practice and emotion regulation. Simulation permits students to reflect on their emotional reactions and receive feedback which can heighten self-awareness, a precursor to developing effective strategies for coping with emotions.

KEYWORDS:

• Cognitive and affective processes
• social work education
• simulation
• holistic competence
• social work practice
• students
• practice
• practice methods

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Larry Enkin Simulation Fund.

Notes on contributors

Karen M. Sewell

Karen M. Sewell is a PhD candidate, course instructor, and research coordinator at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto. Her current research focuses on clinical supervision, clinical practice, social work education, and simulation-based learning.  Her research is informed by over twenty years of clinical experience in child/youth mental health, supervision, leadership, professional training, and program development.

Jane E. Sanders

Jane E. Sanders is a PhD candidate at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto. Jane has over 20 years of social work practice experience which informs her research and teaching. Her research focuses on clinical practice and education including trauma-informed education, ICT use, and simulation-based education. She conducts research with students who have been suspended or expelled, considering the global impact of trauma particularly on education.

Toula Kourgiantakis

Toula Kourgiantakis, PhD, RSW, CCFT is an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream with the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto. Her research interests focus on equity focused and family-centred practices in mental health and addictions, social work education, and simulation-based learning. Dr. Kourgiantakis is a Registered Social Worker and Certified Couple and Family Therapist with over 25 years of clinical experience that informs her teaching and research.

Ellen Katz

Ellen Katz is Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW), University of Toronto.  Her teaching, research and clinical interests focus on mindfulness, meditation, reflection, Buddhism, family therapy, simulation, and the development of competence in both students and clinicians. Ellen has worked in clinical practice for 27 years with individuals, couples, families and groups in hospitals, children’s mental health settings and in private practice.

Marion Bogo

Marion Bogo O.C., LL.D, MSW, RSW is Professor at the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto. Her long-standing program of research focuses on social work education, specifically field education, the conceptualization and assessment of professional competence, and more recently simulation-based education.