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Objectives: To evaluate an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) Adapted for Social Work in a lab course and examine the degree to which it predicts competence in the practicum. Methods: 125 Masters students participated in a one-scenario OSCE and wrote responses to standardized reflection questions. OSCE performance and reflections were rated on previously standardized scales, competence in field was evaluated using the Online Practice-Based Evaluation. Results: A wide range of scores on OSCE scales indicate that differences in student competencies were captured. Correlational analyses revealed an association between OSCE scales and field final evaluations. Nevertheless, a number of students who performed poorly on the OSCE did well in the practicum. Conclusions: The OSCE method of evaluation warrants cautious optimism and requires further replication and adaptation for social work educational outcomes assessment.

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Self-report mental health scales cannot distinguish between genuine mental health and the facade or illusion of mental health created by psychological defenses. Shedler, Mayman, and Manis (1994) demonstrated that experienced clinicians can differentiate genuine from illusory mental health using the Early Memory Test, and that illusory mental health may be a risk factor for medical illness. This article describes the development of the Early Memory Index (EMI), a formal scoring system for the Early Memory Test, and presents evidence for its reliability and validity. The EMI makes the technique for assessing illusory mental health accessible to a wide range of investigators, including investigators who lack extensive clinical training.