Training social work students to recognize later-life depression: Is standardized patient simulation effective?

Professional social workers are the largest provider of mental health services in the nation, yet they receive little coursework or clinical training in late-life depression unless they are in a gerontology specialization. Simulation training offers academic experiences that evoke conditions of the real world in a practical way. One hundred and four graduate social work students consented and completed the Standardized Patient Simulation course consisting of a human simulator interview, pre- and postdebriefing on late life depression, and self and faculty ratings of outcome measures. Results from pre-post testing of measures and the debriefing evaluation demonstrated that students gained in knowledge and achieved clinical skill competency. Students reported that the patient simulator was convincing, the environment was realistic, and they were satisfied with the training. The educational methodology tests students in challenging situations and offers immediate educational feedback to integrate and improve practice behaviors towards achieving clinical competency.