Social Work Students’ Attitudes and Skills Self-Efficacy Toward Collaborative Practice Improve After Interprofessional Opioid Use Disorder Case Discussion

Abstract

Few studies have examined social work student outcomes after engagement in interprofessional (IP) learning experiences. We examined self-reported attitudes and skills self-efficacy among social work students before and after their engagement in IP Forums. The data comes from social work students who participated in 2016-2018 Fall IP Forums focusing on opioid use disorder. Using the Interprofessional Attitudes Scale (IPAS) and the Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Scale, revised (ICCAS), we assessed students’ self-reported attitudes (IPAS) and skills self-efficacy (ICCAS) before and after the Fall IP Forums. Paired t-tests identified significant changes in IPAS and ICCAS scores. Students reported increases in their IP attitudes and skills self-efficacy following participation in the IP Forum as measured by pre-IPAS score (n=236, M=4.56, SD=0.29) to post-IPAS score (M=4.68, SD=0.27; t(156)=-5.31, p<.001). Post-ICCAS score also increased (n=48, M=4.26, SD=0.69; t(33)= -5.75, p<.001) from the pre-ICCAS score (M=3.55, SD=0.92). The 2015 Council on Social Work Education Accreditation Standards require that social work students learn how to value and engage in interprofessional teams. Given the self-reported increases in IP attitudes and skills self-efficacy seen in this study, IP Forum participation will help foster greater engagement and contribution to overall IP experiences for social work students.