The Transfer of Interviewing Skills to Practicum by Students with High and Low Pre-Training Skill Levels

This study measured changes in interviewing skills from pre- to post-training and the transfer of acquired skills to interviews with clients in practicum. Graduate social work students were grouped as "poor" or "good" interviewers before training based on pre-training interviews. Students showed positive changes in their post-training videotaped interviews with those initially rated as "poor" interviewers exhibiting greater increased use of exploration-simulating skills and greater decreases in advice and information giving. In general, students did not transfer improved skill use to practicum; transfer by "poor" begining performers was somewhat greater than by those with higher initial ratings. Implications for social work education are discussed.