Virtual Client Applications in Psychological Interview Training : A Systematic Review

Year 2022, , 257 - 290, 01.09.2022

Gamze Gültekin , Orçun Yorulmaz

https://doi.org/10.26650/SP2021-913947

Abstract

Virtual client applications created with technology are seen to have been used in recent years in various health disciplines as an alternative to traditional practice and training methods. Even more recently, they have become a topic in the field of mental health. This study aims to systematically examine the empirical studies in the literature to get a clearer picture of the virtual client applications that are specific to the mental health field but have yet to become widespread. To broaden the scope of the search, the Web of Science and Scopus databases were scanned according to the search terms created using the relevant keywords. The study has systematically reviewed 16 empirical studies on virtual simulations in the field of psychology and psychiatry education in line with the inclusion criteria. The findings have been evaluated within the scope of the scientific studies’ aims, the characteristics of the virtual applications used in these studies, the measurement tools used for evaluating the studies, and finally the results from these studies. As a result of the findings from this review, virtual client applications were seen to have been developed with various designs and technical features. When examining the measurement methods used according to the aims of the studies, the methods were found to differ from one another. When considering the findings from these studies, studies measuring users’ experiences with virtual client applications indicated the participants to have predominantly evaluated the virtual client applications positively. In addition, these studies indicated the virtual client applications to have improved various aspects of the participants, such as their psychopathological assessment skills, empathic communication skills, and interviewer self-efficacies. However, some problems were experienced during the applications, and feedback was found on how to improve the applications. In this context, the use of virtual client applications as a safe and supportive tool for gaining experience in psychological interview training can be concluded as promising. Still, when considering the limitations of the current studies, more experimental studies are needed that take different methods into account in terms of both virtual client design and research design in order to be able to use technology for psychological interview training more effectively and successfully and for understanding the effectiveness of the proposed applications more comprehensively.

Keywords

Virtual client applications, simulation, psychological interview, technology

Psikolojik Görüşme Eğitiminde Sanal Danışan Uygulamaları: Sistematik Bir Derleme

Abstract

Son yıllarda teknoloji aracılığı ile oluşturulan sanal danışan uygulamalarının geleneksel uygulama ve eğitim yöntemlerine alternatif olarak çeşitli sağlık disiplinlerinde kullanıldığı, ancak psikolojik sağlık alanında görece yeni gündeme geldiği görülmektedir. Bu çalışmada, henüz kullanımı yaygınlaşmamış olan psikolojik sağlık alanına özgü sanal danışan uygulamalarına yakından bakabilme amacı ile alanyazındaki bilimsel araştırma desenlerinin temel alındığı çalışmaların sistematik olarak incelenmesi hedeflenmiştir. Tarama kapsamını geniş tutmak üzere ilgili anahtar kelimeler ile oluşturulmuş arama terimleri aracılığıyla Web of Science ve Scopus veritabanları taranmıştır. Dahil etme kriterleri doğrultusunda psikoloji ve psikiyatri eğitimi kapsamındaki sanal danışan uygulamalarını içeren 16 araştırma sistematik olarak incelenmiştir. Bulgular, bilimsel çalışmaların amaçları, bu çalışmalarda kullanılan sanal uygulamaların özellikleri, çalışmaların değerlendirme amaçlı kullandığı ölçüm araçları ve son olarak çalışmaların ulaştığı sonuçlar kapsamında değerlendirilmiştir. Bu derleme çalışmasının bulguları sonucunda çeşitli tasarım ve teknik özelliklere sahip sanal danışan uygulamalarının geliştirildiği görülmüştür. Araştırmaların amaçlarına göre kullanılan ölçüm yöntemleri incelendiğinde ölçümlerin birbirinden farklılaştığı bulunmuştur. Araştırmaların bulgularına bakıldığında, sanal danışan uygulamalarına ilişkin kullanıcı deneyimini ölçen çalışmalar bu uygulamaların katılımcılar tarafından ağırlıklı olarak olumlu yönde değerlendirildiğini göstermektedir. Ayrıca bu uygulamaların psikolojik sorunları değerlendirme becerisi başta olmak üzere, empatik iletişim becerisi, görüşmeye ilişkin öz-yeterlik gibi çeşitli açılara yönelik katılımcıları geliştirdiği görülmüştür. Yine de uygulamalar esnasında yaşanılan bazı aksaklıklar ve uygulamaların geliştirilmesine yönelik sunulan geribildirimler de mevcuttur. Bu bağlamda sanal danışan uygulamalarının güvenli ve destekleyici bir deneyimleme aracı olarak, psikolojik görüşme eğitiminde kullanımının ümit vadettiği çıkarımı yapılabilir. Yine de mevcut araştırmalardaki kısıtlılıklar göz önünde bulundurulduğunda, psikolojik görüşme eğitimine yönelik teknolojinin daha etkin ve başarılı şekilde kullanılabilmesi ve önerilen uygulamaların etkinliğinin kapsamlı bir şekilde anlaşılabilmesi için hem sanal danışan tasarımı hem araştırma deseni açısından farklı yöntemlerin hesaba katıldığı daha fazla sayıda deneysel çalışmaya ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır.

Keywords

Sanal danışan uygulamaları, simülasyon, psikolojik görüşme, teknoloji

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