A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Simulated Learning’s Effects in Social Work Education

Abstract

ABSTRACT Social work education has increasingly integrated simulated learning, yet there is a scarcity of quantitative syntheses on its effects. This systematic review and meta-analysis examines the effectiveness of simulated learning in social work education based on outcomes from using either live standardized clients (SCs) or virtual clients (VCs). The study indicates a significant positive effect of simulated learning, regardless of client type (SMD = 0.95; 95% CI = 0.61 to 1.29). Subgroup analyses suggest that such learning is more effective with Masters of Social Work students, when utilizing VCs, for mental health assessment learning, in smaller classes, and in recent studies. These findings enhance the evidence base supporting the use of simulated learning in social work education.