A Longitudinal Study of Interprofessional Education Readiness and Collaboration Skills Among Japanese Psychology Undergraduates

TL;DR

This study tracked Japanese psychology undergraduates over four years to assess how interprofessional education affects their readiness and collaboration skills.

Contribution

The study provides longitudinal evidence on the sustained effects of first-year interprofessional education for psychology students in Japan.

Findings

IPE readiness remained stable over four years without continuous IPE.

Interprofessional collaboration skills and understanding of roles improved significantly after a practice program.

Basic communication skills showed mixed results, with some aspects improving and others not.

Abstract

Introduction: Few longitudinal studies have examined the effects of interprofessional education (IPE), particularly those involving psychology students. In Japan, where national certification for psychologists was established in 2017, a common challenge faced by psychologists is the content and methods of IPE.

Objective: A four-year longitudinal study was conducted to examine the sustained effects of first-year IPE within an undergraduate training program for licensed psychologists. In addition, a separate study investigated the changes in interprofessional work skills in a non-IPE practicum.

Methods: This study employed a mixed-method research design combining (i) a longitudinal observational study (2020-2023) to examine the sustained effects of the IPE implemented in the 2020 academic year and (ii) a quasi-experimental pre-post test study independently conducted with the same participants in the 2023 academic year. The design was based on (i) Kolb's Experiential Learning Model and (ii) Schön's Reflective Practitioner Model, and one of the goals was to develop interprofessional work skills. The participants were students in a licensed psychologist training program who enrolled in 2020. We investigated their readiness for IPE (using the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS)) over a four-year period (primary evaluation) and interprofessional competency (using the Interprofessional Competency Assessment Scale for Undergraduates (ICASU)) before and after their fourth year of practice (secondary evaluation).

Results: RIPLS scores from first to fourth year neither improved nor declined; ICASU scores increased from 56.00 (49.00-63.00) before the program to 63.00 (55.00-67.00) after the program (p = 0.005). On the subscales, “understanding one’s own and other occupations” (p = 0.013) and “interprofessional collaboration skills” (p = 0.014) improved significantly. Regarding “basic communication skills,” which did not improve significantly, the results of the item-by-item analysis showed that items related to recognizing diverse values (p = 0.008) and finding one's issues (p = 0.003) improved; however, four items, including assertive discussion skills, did not improve.

Conclusion: In the longitudinal survey, readiness for IPE did not decrease after the first year of IPE. This suggests that even without continuous IPE, readiness for IPE could be maintained, and the basic skills for interprofessional work could be developed by devising a curriculum and practice program.

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