Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41721322›Full record

Trial reportBMC psychiatry2026

Development and preliminary evaluation of a virtual standardized patient system for psychiatric interview training.

Yue Li, Guodong Wang, Zhibiao Huang, Xiaoyin Ke, Jianxing Qin, Jialong Yu, Sha Liu, Juan Li, Yong Xu

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC psychiatry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Yue Li *Department of Psychiatry, First Hospital /First Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
Guodong Wang *Department of Clinical Psychology, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, China.
Zhibiao Huang *Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen KangNing Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Xiaoyin Ke *Shenzhen Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Shenzhen Mental Health Center, Shenzhen KangNing Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
Jianxing QinDepartment of Psychiatry, Taiyuan Central Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
Jialong YuSchool of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
Sha LiuDepartment of Psychiatry, First Hospital /First Clinical Medical College of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.
Juan LiThe Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang, China. ljpsy87@163.com.
Yong XuSchool of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China. xuyongsmu@vip.163.com.

Funding

Clinical Research Cultivation Project of the Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University PY-2024-001Fundamental Research Program of Shanxi Province 202303021222346National Clinical Key Specialty Construction Project 2025-ZZ-014National Natural Science Foundation of China 82301744National Natural Science Foundation of China 82371511National Natural Science Foundation of Shenzhen JCYJ20240813150616022Shenzhen Fund for Guangdong Provincial High-level Clinical Key Specialties SZGSP013the Fund of the Science and Technology Planning Project of Shenzhen Municipality 20210617155253001the Futian District Health System Project in Shenzhen FTWS042
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundLimitations of traditional standardized patients exist with regard to psychiatric interview training, and there is a pressing need to develop more effective tools. The aim of this study is to develop and conduct a preliminary evaluation of a virtual standardized patient (VSP) system designed for this purpose.

methodsThis study comprised two primary components: (1) the development of a VSP system for psychiatry interviews; and (2) a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate its effectiveness. An experienced psychiatrist drafted the initial case interview scripts that were subsequently refined using a modified Delphi method to establish the final versions. The VSP system was then constructed using a large language model (LLM) of ERNIE 3.5–8 K. We then recruited 20 valid medical students who were randomly allocated to either the intervention group or control group for the RCT. Both groups completed a 20 class hours training. A participant’s clinical interview skills were assessed before and after the intervention, while the intervention group additionally provided feedback on their VSP user experience.

resultsThe developed VSP system incorporated three psychiatric cases. It demonstrated good consistency upon expert evaluation. After the intervention, the VSP group demonstrated significantly higher clinical interview scores compared to the controls. Additionally, the participants rated the VSP system as having good usability, with particular strengths in operational ease and effectiveness for clinical interview training.

conclusionsIn this study, we developed a VSP system for psychiatric interview training. The preliminary validation demonstrated its efficacy for enhancing medical student clinical interview skills. This system provides valuable insights for the development of innovative psychiatric education tools. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.

Indexed as

Interview, PsychologicalPatient SimulationPsychiatryAdultClinical CompetenceFemaleHumansLarge Language ModelsMalePsychiatristsUser-Computer InterfaceLarge language modelPsychiatric interviewUser experienceVirtual standardized patient

Identifiers

PMID41721322
PMCPMC13032266

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.