“Development and evaluation of perspective: counselling simulator”: a gamified tool for developing risk-assessment skills in trainee counsellors
Mental Health and Social Inclusion
ISSN: 2042-8308
Article publication date: 10 February 2023
Issue publication date: 10 May 2023
Abstract
Purpose
Self-efficacy is the bridge between theoretical knowledge of counselling and practical application of effective techniques (Akinlolu and Chukwudi, 2019). Furthermore, risk-assessment and management are fundamental components of counselling training and self-efficacy in these areas is central to ethical practice. Gamification represents an opportunity to increase motivation encouraging users to engage with serious content via an entertaining medium. This study aims to present two studies concerning an outline of the development process and an initial evaluation of “Perspective: Counselling Simulator”, a gamified training tool for developing and enhancing self-efficacy in risk-assessment skills in trainee counselling students in the UK.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper presents the development and initial user-evaluation of “Perspective”, as well as an initial evaluation of the game’s capacity to deliver risk-assessment education in a group of UK-based trainee counsellors to British Association for Counselling and Psychology (BACP) standards.
Findings
Firstly, mid-development assessment of a prototype-version of the game produced a good system usability score and positive user-feedback, while identifying areas for further improvement. Secondly, data relating to an initial evaluation of the efficacy of the game suggest that the game in its current form is significantly improved in terms of system usability and produces descriptive, albeit not statistically significant improvements to self-reported self-efficacy. Additional feedback was provided by users and further development and evaluation is planned.
Originality/Value
This paper represents, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the first of its kind in developing and evaluating a gamified tool with accessibility and scalability for teaching and consolidating risk-assessment skills of UK counselling students in-line with BACP standards.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the student development team for all work developing “Perspective: Counselling Simulator”: Daniel Mercer, Daniel Węgrzyn, Kayew Yang for the time and effort spent creating and evolving the game “Perspective: Counselling Simulator”.Funding statement: This project was funded by the University of Bolton Jenkinson Award 2023 (£2,000), which was used to pay the development team for ongoing work (and in the case of developer DM for maintenance) and Ryley Internship Award (Reference: J-2312) (£2,400). Of the authors, CC, AP, SB and AW did not benefit personally from funding. Authors JG and MGS are currently employed as Ryley Research Interns at the University of Bolton and as such are allocated a reimbursement of £1,200 each from this fund.
Citation
Conn, C., Patel, A., Gavin, J., Granda-Salazar, M., Williams, A. and Barnes, S. (2023), "“Development and evaluation of perspective: counselling simulator”: a gamified tool for developing risk-assessment skills in trainee counsellors", Mental Health and Social Inclusion, Vol. 27 No. 2, pp. 140-153. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-12-2022-0090
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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