Does a simulation-based learning programme assist with the development of speech-language pathology students' clinical skills in stuttering management?

Abstract

Simulation-based learning can be used in university programmes to provide speech-language pathology students with essential clinical experiences. However, limited research has explored the use of simulation to support students' development of skills in clinical practice with people who stutter. (1) To evaluate students' clinical skills in managing stuttering within a simulation-based learning programme; (2) to develop an assessment tool, the Standardised Patient Interview Rating Scale for Stuttering (SPIRS-Stuttering); and (3) to conduct a preliminary investigation of its validity in measuring students' performance. Speech-language pathology students (n = 114) participated in a simulation-based stuttering programme in addition to academic coursework in fluency disorders. Students' clinical skills were assessed over two simulation sessions using the SPIRS-Stuttering tool, adapted from an earlier iteration of the SPIRS tool. Content validity, intra-rater reliability and internal consistency of the SPIRS-Stuttering tool were also explored. Students demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in stuttering clinical skills between sessions 1 and 4 of the simulation-based stuttering programme. Good content validity was achieved for the SPIRS-Stuttering tool with a low level of intra-rater reliability and variable internal consistency. This study identified that students' clinical skills in stuttering improved during participation in a simulation-based programme undertaken in conjunction with an academic course on fluency disorders. The results of this study support the inclusion of this learning modality in university programme curricula. Whilst the SPIRS-Stuttering tool enabled assessment of speech-language pathology students' clinical skills in stuttering management, further exploration of reliability is required. What is already known on this subject Within speech-language pathology, simulation-based learning is a teaching approach used in university clinical programme curricula. Simulation-based learning is used as an opportunity for students to gain specific clinical skills, particularly if clinical experiences are readily not available. Research in speech-language pathology has revealed that students value simulation because it provides a safe learning environment. What this study adds to existing knowledge There are fewer opportunities for students to gain clinical experience in the management of stuttering in adults. This study explored students' clinical skill development within a stuttering simulation-based learning programme. Additionally, it detailed the development and preliminary investigation of validity of the SPIRS-Stuttering, an assessment tool used in a simulation-based learning environment. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? Students' clinical skills in the assessment and management of stuttering in adults, as measured by the SPIRS-Stuttering, improved during participation in the stuttering simulation-based learning programme. Further investigation of validity of the SPIRS-Stuttering tool is required to confidently measure students' performance. The stuttering simulation-based learning programme can be used to provide students with an opportunity to develop their clinical skills in stuttering, a practice area in speech-language pathology that is not always available to students.