Emotionally Intelligent Digital Pedagogy: The Evolution of Virtual Patients as Digital Learning Tools in the Training of Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners

The training of Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) can present trainees with challenges for opportunities to engage in experiential learning, particularly during the early stages of the course. Due to the high-pressure nature of the PWP role, which has been associated with elevated levels of stress and risk of burnout, there is a clear need for training approaches that are both psychologically supportive and pedagogically effective. Despite a growing emphasis on student wellbeing, traditional training pedagogical approaches can emphasise content delivery at the detriment of the trainee’s psychological wellbeing. This study investigated the potential of Virtual Patients (VPs) as socially constructed, emotionally attuned multimedia learning tools designed not only to support cognitive development, but also the emotional and psychological well-being of trainee PWPs.

Using a mixed methods design informed by positive psychology, social constructivism, and multimedia learning theories, data were collected from January 2023 to May 2024 across two trainee PWP cohorts (N=58), with n=46 in a control group and n=16 in the VP intervention group. Part one involved pre- and post-intervention self-report questionnaires assessing psychological resources, perceived mental effort, and academic performance. Measures included the Practitioner Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PPCQ), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), and the Counsellor Activity Self-Efficacy Scales (CASES). Statistical analyses were conducted on n=58. Part two employed a concurrent think-aloud protocol (n=12), drawing on Ericsson and Simon’s (1993) Protocol Analysis method, to explore cognitive processes while participants watched recordings of themselves conducting a Brief Mental Health Assessment. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis.

Findings suggest that engagement with VPs was associated with improved learning outcomes, higher assessment grades, enhanced attention to task, and the development of cognitive and reflective skills. Moreover, participants who used the VPs reported higher levels of Positive Psychological Capital (PsyCap), lower levels of negative affect, and, potentially, increased levels of professional self-awareness, compared to those who did not and may better equip trainees to manage the course, and the demands of their role more effectively. The study highlights the potential of VPs to enhance both practitioner competence and wellbeing through an approach conceptualised as Emotionally Intelligent Digital Pedagogy, with practical implications for training design and future research discussed.

The use of virtual patients to enhance the training of trainee psychological wellbeing practitioners.

-Virtual Patients Enhance Experiential Learning and Reflective Depth
-Emotional and Psychological Resources Were Significantly Strengthened
-Emotionally Intelligent Digital Pedagogy (EIDP) Provides a Coherent Framework
-Virtual Patients Promote Psychological Safety While Maintaining Rigour
-Practitioner Skill Development Extended Beyond Technical Competence