Substance Abuse Diagnostic Clinical Interview Simulation

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Traditional methods for training clinicians and students in mental health disciplines in substance abuse assessment have been restricted to role-playing, mock interviews, textbook lessons, and video instruction. All of these tools have limitations for imparting real world experiences. Specifically, traditional methods of instruction do not include realistic interactions between the patient and the student clinicians, thus leaving students without proper real world training. To overcome current clinical instruction limitations, we propose to develop a computer based interactive clinical assessment interview training system with voice recognition that combines realistic patient interviews coupled with guided feedback and instruction in real-time. In this Phase I application, a prototype diagnostic interview system will be developed focused on the preliminary diagnosis of methamphetamine use and/or dependence. Building on the successful development of previous simulations for teaching interview skills, we propose to develop an initial prototype system for teaching DSM-IV-TR (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) diagnostic assessment for methamphetamine abuse and/or dependence. Specifically, the initial prototype in Phase I will focus on the methamphetamine diagnostic criteria. The system will use interactive simulated patients and voice recognition to create an immersive, realistic, two-way clinical assessment interview, which not only teaches proper assessment skills, but also mirrors challenges faced in real clinical settings. A pilot test will be conducted with the target end-user population to evaluate the prototype simulation and determine its feasibility for providing meaningful training in diagnostic clinical interviewing skills. It is hypothesized that students will asses the simulation as realistic and engaging and rate it favorably as compared with more traditional training methods. Demonstration of feasibility in Phase I will provide the basis for expansion of the prototype simulation into a full-length multimedia training simulation capable of providing learners with realistic clinical experiences in which they can practice and refine clinical interviewing and diagnostic skills for use in the field. Public Health Relevance: The proposed project will address clinical instruction limitations in the area of clinician-patient interactions, an area that is significantly lacking in many training programs. If successful, it will provide a tool to enable students to learn critical skills that will help them interact with and diagnose patients in a more accurate and efficient manner.