Computer Assisted Counselor Training: A Client Simulation.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a computer simulated client on the learning of empathic responding. A computer program was created that simulates a counseling client for the purpose of enhancing skills in the recognition of empathic responses. Trainee interaction with the computer simulation involved reading screens of client statements, each followed by a choice of three possible counselor responses: empathic, paraphrasing, or nonfacilitative. Client responses to counselor response choices were self-exploratory, superficial, or frustrated, respectively. The computerized unit included a feedback function which provided experimental subjects with knowledge of performance level. Data collection capabilities of the microcomputer were utilized to store several performance measures on subjects. In a controlled experiment based upon the Solomon Four Group Design, seventy-eight volunteer subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups. The independent variable was defined as interaction with the computer simulation. The Empathic Understanding Scale for rating empathic responses was employed to assess subjects' written responses to the Sixteen Stimulus Items, a set of client statements. EU is a qualitative scale ranging from one to five, where three is minimally facilitative. The same set of client statements was used as a pretest and a posttest. EU ratings of subjects' written responses constituted the dependent variable. Subjects in Group I were pretested, interacted with the simulation, and were posttested. Subjects in Group II were pretested and posttested. Subjects in Group III interacted with the simulation and were posttested. Subjects in Group IV were posttested. Eight hypotheses were statistically tested at the .05 level using analysis of variance, pairwise comparisons, t tests, and correlations. Interaction with the client simulation was found to have a statistically significant effect upon the dependent variable. Treatment subjects showed improvement in written responses. However, this finding was qualified by limited positive movement on the EU scale. The mean written functioning level of treatment subjects remained below a minimally facilitative level. The relationship between EU and the computerized measure of empathic recognition was positive but nonsignificant.