Preparing Social Work Students for Interprofessional Team Practice in Health-Care Settings

Abstract

This study presents the results of a workforce development initiative focused on preparing master's-level social work students to work in interprofessional settings and integrated care. The study examines both trainees' changes in interprofessional skills and attitudes as well as if there were differences in trainee experiences across race and gender. Method: Ninety-nine trainees participated in a training program and completed pre-and posttest measures on attitudes toward interdisciplinary teams and team skills. The team used multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to examine the change in means and interaction effects. Results: Findings suggest that the training helps trainees acquire interdisciplinary team skills. However, results on attitudes toward interdisciplinary teams varied based on race and gender of the trainees. Discussion: Results suggest that there continue to be disparities in the training experiences of social work trainees around race and gender. Future research needs to continue to focus on this issue.

Professionals ready to integrate care (PRI-Care): A mental health training collaborative.

“…The effect size was small; thus, this outcome will need to be reevaluated across different, more diverse groups of social work and counseling students to understand its potential contribution to ISVS in similar training programs. Contrary to earlier findings (e.g., Delavega et al, 2019), other demographics and student characteristics, such as growing up in a rural setting, were not associated with training outcomes in this study. M ranges for ISVS were slightly lower for school counselors at pretest (.4 to .7 points) but fell within the range of mental health counselors and social workers upon posttest.…”

Interprofessional dynamics that promote client empowerment in mental health practice: A social work perspective

“…What is interesting is our findings regarding what supports and complicates the ways in which these power differentials can be addressed. Recent health service reforms aim to inspire positive shifts towards a transdisciplinary form of interprofessional practice (Delavega et al, 2019). Such expectation was reflected in participant accounts which described clients and social workers' participation in service decision-making.…”

“…Social work values, particularly in terms of promoting self-determination, strengths perspectives and social justice, are considered to be well aligned with the principles underpinning recent mental health initiatives, including recovery-oriented and personalised service models (Brophy et al, 2015). However, the contribution of social work to interprofessional mental health services has been challenged over the decades (Delavega et al, 2019). This often relates to a significant perceived schism between medical and social work knowledge systems.…”

Improving Team Skills of Health Care Practitioners: Effects of an Interprofessional Education Program

“…In addition, it should be noted that the same 17-item TSS we used in our study continues to be used in IPE research even as late as 2020. 31,61,62 As a generic singlefactor scale, the use of TSS limited our understanding of more nuanced targeted competencies and actual team behaviors. Participants: Participants in the ATTP program were self-selected and likely more motivated to improve team skills, possibly even attending with intentions to start or reactivate a PD work team.…”