The Impact of Novice Counselors’ Note-Taking Behavior on Recall and Judgment

Abstract

Purpose: To examine the effect of note-taking on novice counselors’ recall and judgment of interview information in four situations: no notes, taking notes, taking notes and reviewing these notes, and reviewing notes taken by others.Method: The sample included 13 counselors-in-training recruited from a master’s level training program in rehabilitation counseling. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted to detect significant differences in recall and clinical judgment. Spearman’s rho correlation was used to determine if there were significant relationships in general judgment across note-taking conditions. The participants’ notes were examined to describe the note-taking strategies used by the participants.Results: MANOVA analysis showed a significant within-subjects effect in relation to the four note-taking behaviors (F[6, 70] = 2.475, p = .031). Univariate analyses for effects of note-taking indicated that there were significant differences for recall (F[3, 36] = 3.214, p = .034) but not clinical judgment (F[3, 36) = 1.936, p = .141). Specifically, the results showed that when counselors reviewed the provided notes, they recalled more facts than when they took notes themselves. The Spearman’s rho correlation results indicated that the counselors’ perceptions of the client changed, but did not become more accurate, as a function of note-taking activity.Conclusion: Note-taking was not a successful strategy to improve recall or judgment among these novice counselors. Counselor educators and supervisors should not assume that the benefits that come from note-taking in academic settings generalize to the clinical setting.

Technology and note-taking in the classroom, boardroom, hospital room, and courtroom

“…Some studies suggest note-taking may improve therapist performance by helping therapists remember patient information and reducing the impact of any biases that therapists may hold [37]. However, other work has not found note-taking to enhance recall or improve clinical judgment [51].…”

The use of note-taking during forensic interviews: Perceptions and practical recommendations for interviewers

“…The most predominant criticism of note-taking across various disciplines is the potential for the practice to impair rapport by disrupting the flow and pace of an interview (Goldbloom, 2011; NCAC, 2016), as well as detracting from attention to an interviewee, potentially harming the productivity of the interview (Mills, 2012). Although there is little to no empirical research or commentaries on note-taking within forensic interviews, the scant literature within the psychological and medical literature reveals a recurring concern that note-taking lacks substantial benefits and may adversely affect client or patient interviews (Lo & Wadsworth, 2014; Mills, 2012). Rapport building is critical in forensic interviews, so much so that explicit sections of many structured interview protocols, both the revised NICHD protocol (Hershkowitz et al, 2014) and Ten Step Investigative Interview (Lyon, 2005), include specific sections dedicated to building rapport.…”