Modeling therapist responses with structured practice enhances facilitative interpersonal skills

Facilitative interpersonal skills (FIS) video stimuli were used to develop and test a brief training component of observational modeling with repeated practice. Specifically, this study hypothesized that a brief training of video modeling therapeutic use of interpersonal skills, combined with repeated practice, would result in improved FIS responses (relative to control).

Undergraduates (n = 101) with expressed interest in the helping professions were randomly assigned to Modeled Practice or Control conditions. After a baseline, participants in Modeled Practice observed model responses and then repeatedly practiced different responses, while those in the Control group observed videos comparable in format, but nontherapeutic in content. Participants then gave responses to different simulated clients, which were used to assess hypotheses.

FIS for Modeled Practice was significantly higher than controls in postpractice.

Result provides empirical support for training in practice strategy components and has implications for therapeutic deliberate practice training.