Integrated Behavioral Health Education Using Simulated Patients for Pediatric Residents Engaged in a Primary Care Community of Practice

Introduction: Novel teaching curricula using simulated patients (SP) and a team-based approach are needed to teach pediatric residents how to approach behavioral health (BH) conditions in an integrated care setting. Method: This mixed-methods study evaluated a pilot curriculum on BH integration in pediatric primary care. Two 1-hour didactic sessions and 3 hours of SP encounters focused on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and anxiety, followed by facilitated debriefings that included interdisciplinary team members. Residents completed pre- and postcurriculum surveys on self-efficacy in patient assessment and management. A subset of residents participated in semistructured interviews, reviewing video recordings of their SP encounters to facilitate reflection on their learning. We conducted qualitative analysis of interview transcripts until we reached thematic saturation. Results: Residents (n = 31) reported significantly improved self-efficacy in the majority of BH skills (p ≤ .05 to p ≤ .0001), including assessing and discussing concerns with families, using screening tools, developing management plans, prescribing medications, and performing warm handoffs with BH clinicians. In analysis of 15 interviews, four themes emerged: shared experiences, mutual engagement, contextual meaning, and behavioral change, which aligned with the components of the communities of practice framework. Sharing experiences within an integrated BH-pediatric primary care learning community enhanced activated, self-reflective learning and consequent behavioral change that contributed to identity formation. Discussion: Resident participation in the integrated BH-pediatric curriculum improved self-efficacy in patient care for anxiety and ADHD. Curricula implemented in integrated learning communities could help promote reflection and improve integrated pediatric-BH care, including warm handoffs from pediatric to BH providers. Public Significance Statement This article presents a summary of effective methods to teach residents in a primary care integrated behavioral health practice, in order to improve care for the many children who present to primary care providers with behavioral and psychological (or biopsychosocial) concerns.