Teaching Note—Assessing Competence in Screening and Brief Intervention Using Online Patient Simulation and Critical Self-Reflection

ABSTRACT

Screening and brief intervention (SBI) is an evidence-supported intervention for reducing clients’ hazardous alcohol use. One method of teaching SBI is online patient simulation (OPS). Despite the need to promote diversity in social work education, OPS most frequently features non-Hispanic White clients. In response to this need, the authors describe the development of a new OPS with an African-American client at risk for an alcohol use disorder. The OPS, in conjunction with self-reflection, was embedded in an MSW course to teach and assess students’ competence in SBI. Utilizing a one group, longitudinal, pretest posttest design, a paired samples t-test was conducted to compare mean differences in students’ scores from pre- to postinstruction. Scores improved by an average of 29.79 points. This curricular model is an innovative teaching and assessment method for SBI skills.

Acknowledgments

This research is supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (grant number 5H79TI025970-02).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

¹ Information about simulations that are available for free and those that are available for a licensing fee can be retrieved at https://training.simmersion.com/.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jennifer M. Putney

Jennifer M. Putney is an assistant professor at Simmons University.

Cali-Ryan Collin

Cali-Ryan Collin is the associate director of clinical training at Simmons University.

Rebekah Halmo

Rebekah Halmo is a project manager at Simmons University.

Tamara Cadet

Tamara Cadet is an associate professor at Simmons University.

Kimberly O’Brien

Kimberly O’Brien is a research scientist at Boston Children’s Hospital and an assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.