Preferences for and Effectiveness of Role-Play on the Acquisition of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills

<p>Effective training of clinicians is crucial for ensuring high-quality clinical practices. This study evaluated the effectiveness of and preference for two teaching strategies within a behavior skills training (BST) framework for training novice adults in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) components. College students participated in multiple laboratory sessions across three study phases: Introduction, Choice, and Training. During the Introduction Phase, participants learned CBT Component 1 with either feedback only or feedback combined with brief role-play for incorrect skills. These two teaching strategies alternated across trials to ensure the participant was exposed to each equally. The Choice Phase allowed participants to select their preferred teaching strategy in each trial while learning Component 2. In the Training Phase, two new components (Components 3 and 4) were taught. The components alternated and each component was paired with one of the two teaching strategies. Skill acquisition rates and teaching strategy preferences were analyzed. This research sheds light on effective methods for training clinical skills and identifies preferences that could optimize training protocols in clinical settings.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychological Science

Year dc:date.available

2025

Author dc:creator

• Zupko, Logan D

Contributors dc:contributor

• Cory Toegel

• Feedback
• Preference
• Clinical Psychology Training
• Adult Learning
• Role-play
• Behavioral Skills Training
• Applied Behavior Analysis
• Clinical Psychology
• Industrial and Organizational Psychology

Repository record dc:identifier

https://commons.nmu.edu/theses/907

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:commons.nmu.edu:theses-1968