2020 Volume 68 Issue 1 Pages 33-49
Special support educational coordinators (N=4) were given training in consultation skills, including problem solving skills and interpersonal skills. Third-party evaluations were done using the Consultation Effectiveness Scale (CES). The training was a combination of 2 short-term intensive interventions and maintenance with practice. The first intervention included lectures, monitoring, and feedback using recorded videos; during this training, consultation skills increased. However, in the first maintenance period, the participants' consultation skills decreased to a level lower than before the intervention. Therefore, a second intervention was done based on feedback on each individual's performance and a consultation interview sheet. In the second maintenance period, the participants' consultation skills were slightly lower, but higher than before the second intervention. In addition, the scores of the third-party evaluations of consultation effectiveness generally increased after the second intervention. These results suggest that step-by-step training between short-term intensive interventions and field practice may be an effective way to increase consultation skills. Moreover, auxiliary tools, such as the use of a consultation interview sheet, may be necessary for maintaining consultation skills.
