Guidelines for Using Simulations in Qualitative Research on Social Work Practice Competencies

The use of simulation (i.e., trained actors) has gained much attention in social work as a method of teaching, learning, and student assessment. Simulation has also been used in medicine as a research method in studying practice competencies. The use of simulation as a part of research design is relatively new in social work. Particularly, little is known about how simulations can be combined with well-established qualitative research methods. We posit that simulation can further advance qualitative research on social work practice, which requires a highly complex set of skills that are procedural, cognitive, affective, and relational. Drawing from two study examples, we propose guidelines for how simulations can be incorporated in qualitative research on complex practice competencies essential for enhancing the quality of health and social services.