Journaling at an Interprofessional Aphasia Retreat: Experience Grows Reflection

Abstract

Evidence has shown that reflective journaling can have positive impacts on clinical skill development and student growth. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the benefits of reflective journaling, suggestions for implementation, and the results of a pilot study using reflective journals at an interprofessional camp clinical setting. A pilot study was developed to explore the use of reflective journaling at a clinical camp setting. Students attended the Aphasia Couples Retreat, a therapeutic weekend camp focused on helping reconnect couples following a stroke or brain injury. A total of 20 students from both the speech pathology and occupational therapy programs completed journal entries at three time points surrounding the camp experience. Each journal entry was coded for its depth of reflection using a four-point scale. Results indicated that students could demonstrate reflective writing, even with minimal training. Furthermore, with more practice and experience in reflection as well as clinical exposure, students were able to deepen their level of reflection.