Impact of e-learning and role play-based training on psychology students' communication skills: a feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: Given the importance of communication skills in the psychologist-patient relationship, several training programs have been proposed. Cumulative microtraining (CMT) has shown positive impacts on communication skills in previous studies. METHODS: The aim of this naturalistic pre-post study was to test the feasibility of a hybrid CMT program and obtain preliminary data on its impact on communication skills in French-speaking third-year psychology students. The training included an e-learning curriculum and role plays. Pre-post measures included recorded peer-to-peer role plays and self-assessments by participants themselves using the Calgary Cambridge Grid (n = 38) and assessed by an independent rater (n = 29) with a checklist focused on objective behaviors and the CARE questionnaire measuring perceived empathy. RESULTS: The results showed increases in most communication skills at different levels. Summarizing, paraphrasing, and structuring skills were significantly increased after training (all P ≤ 0.001), as were self-reported measurements (all P < 0.001), and empathy and confidence assessed by an independent rater (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study provides new evidence on the impact of CMT, including e-learning and role plays, on both self-rated assessments and assessments by an independent rater who measured communication and empathy in a population of French-speaking students. These findings highlight the importance of implementing such instruction in initial training despite the cost involved. It demonstrates the feasibility of its inclusion in university curriculum, facilitated by the adaptation of theoretical aspects of teaching in e-learning.

Examining the impact of experiencing auditory verbal hallucinations from a first-person perspective on the degree of empathy and stigmatization in a group of psychology students: A study using 360° immersive videos.

BACKGROUND: Stigmatization toward psychosis is persistent among mental health professionals (MHPs) and negatively impacts the patients' outcomes. One suggested way of reducing stigmatization is to expose MHPs to simulations of psychotic symptoms. This approach has been associated with an increase in empathy, but also with an increase in the desire of social distance. The addition of an empathic task (ET) has been suggested to neutralize this effect on social distance. The present study aims to (1) examine the effect of a remotely administered 360° immersive video (360IV) simulation on empathy and stigma among psychology students and (2) replicate the neutralizing effect of an ET on social distance. Finally, the potential role of immersive properties on changes will also be explored. METHODS: A 360IV simulating auditory hallucinations was constructed in collaboration with patient partners. 121 psychology students were allocated to one of three conditions: (i) exposure to the 360IV, (ii) exposure to the 360IV and to an ET (360IV + ET), and (iii) no exposure (control). Measures of empathy and stigma (stereotypes and social distance) were collected before and after the interventions. RESULTS: An increase of empathy was observed in the 360IV and 360IV + ET conditions compared to the control condition. There was an increase of stereotypes in all conditions and no effect on social distance. CONCLUSIONS: This study confirms the effectiveness of a 360IV simulation intervention in increasing empathy in psychology students but questions its efficacy in reducing stigma.

Efficacy of a Short Role-Play Training on Breaking Bad News in the Emergency Department.

INTRODUCTION: Breaking bad news (BBN) in the emergency department (ED) represents a challenging and stressful situation for physicians. Many medical students and residents feel stressed and uncomfortable with such situations because of insufficient training. Our randomized controlled study aimed to assess the efficacy of a four-hour BBN simulation-based training on perceived self-efficacy, the BBN process, and communication skills. METHODS: Medical students and residents were randomized into a 160-hour ED clinical rotation without a formal BBN curriculum (control group [CG], n = 31) or a 156-hour ED clinical rotation and a four-hour BBN simulation-based training (training group [TG], n = 37). Both groups were assessed twice: once at the beginning of the rotation (pre-test) and again four weeks later. Assessments included a BBN evaluation via a simulation with two actors playing family members and the completion of a questionnaire on self-efficacy. Two blinded raters assessed the BBN process with the SPIKES (a delivery protocol for delivering bad news) competence form and communication skills with the modified BBN Assessment Schedule. RESULTS: Group-by-time effects adjusted by study year revealed a significant improvement in TG as compared with CG on self-efficacy (P < 0.001), the BBN process (P < 0.001), and communication skills (P < 0.001). TG showed a significant gain regarding the BBN process (+33.3%, P < 0.001). After the training, students with limited clinical experience prior to the rotation showed BBN performance skills equal to that of students in the CG who had greater clinical experience. CONCLUSION: A short BBN simulation-based training can be added to standard clinical rotations. It has the potential to significantly improve self-efficacy, the BBN process, and communication skills.