Evaluation of a Disaster Simulation Designed to Increase Behavioral Health Competencies

Background and Purpose:
Social workers are frequently called upon to respond to natural and man-made disasters, yet most curricula do not incorporate focused training or provide structured opportunities for students to develop relevant competencies. As disaster incidents increase in frequency and complexity, graduate programs must prepare students to apply behavioral health skills in crisis settings, addressing CSWE competencies and Code of Ethics guidelines, This study examines the integration of disaster content through an interdisciplinary simulation designed to enhance students’ confidence and competency in disaster mental health. Specifically, we assessed how participation in a large-scale, interprofessional disaster simulation influenced students’ application of Psychological First Aid (PFA) and basic engagement skills. The presentation draws on evaluation data from simulations conducted in Spring 2022 and Fall 2025 and discusses how disaster-related experiential learning aligns with core social work competencies.

Methods:
A mixed-methods quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate changes in graduate social work students’ confidence and perceived skill proficiency. Participating students (N = 86), regardless of their assigned role as “victim” (foundation-level) or “responder” (advanced practice), completed a pre-simulation and post-simulation online survey administered via SurveyMonkey. The pre-survey was distributed the day before the simulation with the post-survey provided immediately event.

The survey instrument assessed students’ experience of pre-briefing (2 items), debriefing (5 items), and confidence in elements of PFA and core engagement skills (18 items; Cronbach’s α = .943). Items corresponded to the eight PFA Core Actions—Contact and Engagement, Safety and Comfort, Stabilization, Information Gathering, Practical Assistance, Connection with Social Supports, Information on Coping, and Linkage to Services. Because the host institution is a private, faith-based university, two additional items assessed students’ confidence in ethically integrating spirituality and religion during high-stress events. All items used a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). Open-ended questions captured reflections on key learning points and challenges. Qualitative responses were coded thematically. Quantitative analyses, including paired-sample t-tests, were conducted using SPSS 28. The study received IRB approval.

Results:
Across both cohorts, students demonstrated significant gains in confidence related to PFA and engagement skills. Sixteen of the eighteen PFA-related items showed statistically significant improvement at p < .01. The two spirituality-related items showed improvement at p < .05. Descriptive findings indicated that both pre-briefing and debriefing were perceived as highly useful components of the learning process. Additional analyses explored differences between “victim” and “responder” roles, offering insight into how role assignment influences skill development. The 2025 cohort also piloted the use of PsySTART, a rapid mental health triage tool, providing preliminary insights into its application in simulation-based training.

Implications:
As social workers assume expanding responsibilities in disaster preparedness and response, integrating disaster-specific competencies into social work education is increasingly essential. Findings from this study support the use of interdisciplinary disaster simulation as an effective pedagogical approach for strengthening students’ confidence and foundational behavioral health skills in crisis contexts. Simulation-based learning offers a viable mechanism for preparing emerging professionals to meet the behavioral health needs of communities affected by disaster.