Handbook for the Use of Process Recordings & Analyses in

Boston University School of Social Work

Field Education Department

264 Bay State Road

Boston, MA 02215

www.bu.edu/ssw/academics/field

Handbook for the Use of Process

Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

“The value that… process recordings bring to my

placement is the reflection. Without using a process

recording, I wouldn't be able to reflect on certain

sessions with clients, or seek out specific advice from

my supervisor.”

- Second year clinical student

Handbook for the Use

of Process Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 2

DEFINITION OF PROCESS RECORDINGS AND PROCESS ANALYSES ...................................................... 2

PURPOSES .............................................................................................................................. 3

RECORDING FORMATS .............................................................................................................. 3

COMMON ELEMENTS IN ALL PROCESS RECORDINGS AND PROCESS ANALYSES .................................... 4

SUPERVISORY COMMENTS ON PROCESS RECORDINGS/ANALYSES .................................................... 5

USING RECORDINGS & ANALYSES IN SUPERVISION ........................................................................ 6

TIMING: WRITING AND REVIEWING PROCESS RECORDINGS & ANALYSES.......................................... 7

TIME-SAVING STRATEGIES......................................................................................................... 8

CONFIDENTIALITY .................................................................................................................... 9

PROCESS RECORDING/ANALYSIS POLICIES.................................................................................. 10

APPENDICES: ........................................................................................................................ 11

HELPFUL READINGS ......................................................................................................... 12

CLINICAL PROCESS RECORDING TEMPLATE – COLUMN FORMAT ............................................. 13

CLINICAL PROCESS RECORDING TEMPLATE – NARRATIVE FORMAT .......................................... 14

GROUP PROCESS RECORDING TEMPLATE ............................................................................ 15

MACRO PROCESS ANALYSIS TEMPLATE – COLUMN FORMAT .................................................. 16

MACRO PROCESS ANALYSIS TEMPLATE – JOURNAL FORMAT .................................................. 17

PROGRAM CONTACT INFORMATION

ONLINE PROGRAMS

SSWOLPFE@BU.EDU | 617-353-3755

CHARLES RIVER & OFF-CAMPUS PROGRAMS

SSWFED@BU.EDU | 617-353-3754

The Boston University School of Social Work Field Education

Department requires the use of process recordings/analyses as a

teaching and learning tool in all MSW field placements.

Handbook for the Use of Process Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Handbook for the Use of Process Recordings

& Analyses in Supervision

Introduction

In the field, students and field instructors work together to construct, assess and promote

students’ learning through practice. The Boston University School of Social Work is committed

to the use of process recording and process analysis as critical tools in field education. Used

consistently, skillfully and thoughtfully, these are vital tools in connecting students, field

instructors, the work being done and students’ professional growth over time. And used

creatively, their full utility can be applied to most of the diverse interactions that students have

in both clinical and macro practice.

Our goals are for you to:

 Be aware of the School’s requirements for recordings/analyses

 Be able to use these tools flexibly

 Be familiar with recording/analysis formats

If you have further questions about process recordings and analyses, please feel free to ask

your advisor for help or contact the Field Education Department.

Definition of Process Recordings and Process Analyses

Process recordings/analyses refer to detailed written accounts of professional interactions

involving a social work student and other(s). Recordings and analyses usually contain a section

of verbatim conversation between you and client(s), group participants, community

constituents or other professionals. Other key elements of the recording are the social work

student’s self-reflection on the interaction, their thoughts and feelings about the interaction

and use of self, space for comments by the field instructor, and identification of the

competencies they demonstrated or are developing.

Handbook for the Use

of Process Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Purposes

Recordings have a number of educational and administrative purposes including:

 Development of skills in sorting and remembering important information

 Understanding of client(s), consumers, other professionals, projects

 Student’s perception of the interactions and your interventions

 Student’s self-reflection about developing skills

 Student’s ability to apply theory and empirical evidence to practice

 Student’s ability to plan ahead and to transfer learning from one activity to another

 Evaluating the student’s progress over time

In addition, the recordings/analyses provide the field instructor with:

 A source of information about the student’s activities

 A framework for supervisory conferences

“The whole point of process analysis is to help you step back and actually think about what you

went through, what you were part of, and what it means. It doesn’t have to take long to do a

good process analysis, and the benefits make it well worthwhile. It’s not just ‘make work.’ It’s

about learning to do good work well.”

- Clinical Associate Professor, Macro Practice

Recording Formats

Process recordings and process analyses can be written in a variety of formats depending on

your and your field instructor’s style and preference, the nature of the services provided, and

the focus of your knowledge and skill development. The two most common formats for clinical

recordings are the column format and the narrative format. In addition, narrative recordings

can be based on extensive psychosocial assessments, journals, and case summaries (with a self-

reflection added in each case). The narrative format for Macro assignments can take several

forms including structured journal entries, meeting minutes and narrative responses to

supervisor questions. A column format for Macro assignments can also be used depending on

the student’s learning goals, the nature of the assignment and the field instructor’s preference.

Example templates for all formats can be found in the Appendix.

The School does not require a specific format. This handbook provides examples of different

formats that can be adopted based on the nature of the setting, service method and focus of

intervention. However, all recordings share some common elements which are elaborated below.

Handbook for the Use of Process Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Common Elements in All Process Recordings and Process Analyses

Regardless of format, all process recordings/analyses should include the following:

1. Student’s name, brief description of the client (or other involved people/group/

family/committee meeting), date of contact, # of contact

2. Goals for the interaction: The outcome the student hopes to achieve; does the

client have the same goal(s)? If not, how are they different?

3. Student’s plans to accomplish those goals

4. Verbatim content: In dialogue format (I said, she said), what was the content

of the interaction? This section can include the entire contact or can focus on

specific sections that were:

o Challenging

o Indicative of client/consumer or social worker insight, growth, change

o Thematically related, e.g. loss, difficulty in relationships, feelings of

hopelessness, examples of self-efficacy, participation, empowerment,

leadership

o Indicative of phases of the work, e.g., getting started, middle phase,

ending

o Evidence of specific skills the student demonstrated

5. Student’s observations of behaviors, thoughts and feelings of clients or others

involved in the interaction

6. The student’s thoughts and feelings throughout interaction

7. Competencies demonstrated or requiring further work

8. The student’s assessment of the client’s situation and use of the session, as

well as of interventions. Can include changes in assessment of the client from

previous interactions, significant moments or interactions in which progress

was made, barriers were encountered, insight was gained, etc. Did the student

and client(s) or others involved achieve their goals? What are the goals going

forward?

9. Questions for supervision such as:

o What progress in the student’s knowledge/skill development can be

identified from this client contact?

o How can the field instructor be helpful vis a vis this interaction?

o Do you need additional learning resources and where can you find

them?

Handbook for the Use

of Process Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Supervisory Comments on Process Recordings/Analyses

Supervisory comments can address (but not be limited to):

 Strengths of the interaction

 A few areas for in-depth review, e.g. client behavior, behavior of

others involved in the interaction; student verbal or non-verbal

responses to particular feelings or behaviors, student’s insights

into use of self or demonstration of skills, ethical challenges, issues

related to diversity and difference, power or other dynamics,

leadership issues, effectiveness of outcomes, conflict resolution

 Connection of student’s interventions or understanding to

competencies, theory and/or research evidence

 Alternative ways of thinking about interaction or interventions

student could have made

 Ways to help student increase empathy, change perspective,

deepen relationship with client or others, broaden role (e.g., case

management, advocacy, education)

 Resources/options that could be helpful

 Systems issues (either internal agency or external policy or other

organization) that need to be addressed

 Linkage of learning from this interaction to previous and future

learning

 New areas of learning for student to pursue

“Process analyses can really help to guide your

supervision time at your field placement. They allow

a space to not just discuss your to-do list, but to

process your work with another social worker.”

- Second year macro student

Handbook for the Use of Process Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Using Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Here are some ideas about how process

recordings/analyses can be used in supervision:

 Focus on most critical issues the recording

demonstrated

 Respond to student’s questions

 Have a discussion of skills, themes, and

challenges evident in the recording/analysis

 Use the recording as a script for a role play (in

which student plays client and field instructor

plays student) – try different

responses/interventions based on

student/client’s responses

 Identify where student is demonstrating

improved skills in more than one interaction or

assignment

 Include some line by line review with discussion

of student’s intentions and alternative responses

the student could have used

 Lead to more generalized discussion of student’s

learning experiences in the internship

“As a field supervisor in a medical setting, I find process recordings incredibly

helpful as a tool to help the student attend to the process of the interaction versus

the content. In a setting where the social work role is primarily focused on goal

setting, problems solving and connecting to resources, it’s so important to teach

students how to attend to the therapeutic process that supports the content of the

interaction. It also helps me as the supervisor to make the time to work with the

student on identifying strengths and supporting the patient’s self-reliance when

the priority is often connecting patients to services and/or resources.”

- Field Instructor for 2nd year students

Handbook for the Use

of Process Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Timing: Writing and Reviewing Process Recordings & Analyses

Students and field instructors should agree on a time frame for

recordings to be written and given to the field instructor, read

and commented upon by the field instructor, and reviewed in

supervision.

Process recordings are most helpful if they can be reviewed in

supervision before the next contact with the client, family or

group.

Delays in either writing or reviewing recordings should be

discussed by the student and field instructor and a plan should be

developed to minimize delays.

“I usually start process recordings feeling like they are a chore. But by the time I’m

done I have so much more insight about my practice with clients. I find both things

that I should have done differently and things I did that were more meaningful and

helpful than I even realized at the time. Process recordings can get you unstuck

when you aren’t sure where to go next with a client and they can also help you

recognize when you are on the right track, which is a great confidence-booster.”

- Second year clinical student

Handbook for the Use of Process Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Time-Saving Strategies

Process recordings and analyses can take a lot of time (several hours) for students to write –

especially as they are starting their internship – and for field instructors to review and write

comments. The usefulness of recordings/analyses as teaching and learning tools is not

necessarily directly related to how long they took to write or read. Here are some strategies for

managing the time it takes to write and read these documents:

 Use the recording as a script and role play it together in supervision; stop the action

when one of you has a question or a point to make.

 Write verbatim sections only on those parts of the interaction that demonstrate a

competency you are working on, or that were particularly difficult, confusing,

powerful, or successful.

 Use in-depth agency documentation (e.g. assessments,

progress notes, treatment plans) in place of some

verbatim recordings and add a section based on your

self-reflections about the interaction.

 Stop writing the recording after 45 minutes; whatever

you have written will be a good starting point for

discussion in supervision.

 Don’t worry about parts of the interaction you can’t remember – just indicate in the

recording/analysis that you can’t remember what happened then and keep writing.

 Take notes during the session or meeting (as long as this is not distracting) or write

key words during the interaction; these can be helpful in reminding you what

happened and should enable you to write more quickly.

Handbook for the Use

of Process Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Confidentiality

The following guidelines apply to all practice material (e.g., process recordings/analyses, case

records, meeting minutes, group recordings). Students and field instructors should ensure that

agency documents and recordings are de-identified in accordance with HIPAA regulations.

Agencies are expected to provide students with the same training provided to employees

regarding HIPAA regulations related to the specific setting. In settings which are not covered by

HIPAA, students are expected to protect client/consumer/participant confidentiality in

accordance with professional practice standards, including but not necessarily limited to the

following:

 Delete any reference to the agency name and/or staff names.

 Change names (first and last) and initials.

 Delete any reference to address or any information specifying geographical area,

such as street names, businesses, or hospitals.

 Delete any information that would enable identification of clients, other

professionals, agencies, or agency personnel.

 Use e-mail and other electronic means to send recordings/analyses between the

student and field instructor (and the student and advisor) with attention to the

privacy of the people about whom the document is written.

Please note:

In most cases, agency records cannot

be removed from the agency. However,

students should be informed of and

adhere to the agency’s policies

regarding removal of case records and

other agency documents from the

agency premises.

Handbook for the Use of Process Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Process Recording/Analysis Policies

 Students are required to write at least 12 process recordings or process analyses per

semester, with the intent that these will be written over the course of the semester,

approximately one per week. Field instructors may require more than this number

and this expectation should be clarified in the interview process and documented

in the learning contract. Students in extended (12 month) field placements are

required to write at least 24 process recordings (for clinical students) or process

analyses (for macro students) over the course of the placement.

 Process recordings/analyses should be used flexibly to support the student’s

learning goals and level of knowledge and skill.

 Recording/analysis expectations should be specified in the Learning Contract.

 Recordings/analyses are in addition to the documentation required by the agency

for its own records or files.

 Some time may be allotted in the student’s schedule at the agency to work on

recordings/analyses, although it is likely that outside time will be needed to

complete them.

 Recordings and analyses should be disguised to protect the confidentiality of

clients or consumers. See guidelines for confidentiality of documents above.

 Recordings should be destroyed at a point in the student’s internship when they no

longer serve their educational usefulness (end of contact, end of semester, end of

placement). This should be done in compliance with state law and agency policy.

 Other forms of recording—e.g., audiotape, videotape, log—can be very useful

learning tools, but do not serve the same educational or supervisory functions as

written recordings. At the discretion of the field instructor, these forms of recordings

may be used in in place of a select number of written recordings.

 Examples of process recording/analysis templates are available here and in the

Appendices to this guide. Field instructors may also choose recording formats with

which they are familiar and which are appropriate for the type of assignment and

the student’s learning goals and needs.

 Failure to adhere to the policies and procedures regarding recording and analyses

may lead to the convening of a Problem Resolution meeting and/or may be

reflected in the student’s grade in Field Education.

 Teaching skills related to recordings and analyses is primarily the responsibility of

the field instructor, although this learning is supported and reinforced in the first

year Field Seminar and practice courses at the School.

Handbook for the Use

of Process Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Appendices:

Helpful Resources

Process Recording Templates

Individual, writeable Word documents for Process Recording Templates can

be found at the following links:

 Clinical Process Recording Template – Column Format

 Clinical Process Recording Template – Narrative Format

 Group Process Recording Template

 Macro Process Analysis Template – Column Format

 Macro Process Analysis Template – Journal Format

Handbook for the Use of Process Recordings & Analyses in Supervision

Helpful Readings

Black, P. N., & Feld, A. (2006). Process recording revisited: A learning-oriented thematic

approach integrating field education and classroom curriculum. Journal of

Teaching in Social Work, 26(3-4), 137-153.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J067v26n03_09

Fox, R. & Gutheil, I. A. (2000). Process recording: A means for conceptualizing and

evaluating practice. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 20(1-2), 39-55.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1300/J067v20n01_04

Homonoff, E. (2014). Gimme that old time reflection: Process recording. Field Educator,

4(1). Retrieved from http://fieldeducator.simmons.edu/article/gimme-that-old-

time-reflection-process-recording/

Medina, C. (2010). The need and use of process recordings in policy practice: A learning

and assessment tool for macro practice. Journal of Teaching Social Work, 30(1),

29-45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08841230903479474

Urdang, E. (2010). Awareness of self – A critical tool. Social Work Education, (29)5, 523-

538. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/02615470903164950

BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

FIELD EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Clinical Process Recording Template – Column Format

Individuals and Families

Your name:

1. Date and Brief Description of Contact (client information disguised): E.g., 2nd interview with 4

grade girl in urban after-school program;

family meeting with adult children and their 75 year old mother in a rehab facility post-stroke.

2. Goals for the intervention: the outcomes you hope to achieve in this interaction.

3. Plans: Describe what you plan to do to achieve the goals.

Supervisor’s

Comments

Content of Contact

Student’s

observations of

client(s) and self

Student’s feelings,

reactions

Competencies

demonstrated

4. Your evaluation of the interaction: Did you meet your goals? What evidence do you have? If not, what happened? What is your

formulation of client strengths and difficulties? What are your goals and plans for future interventions and how do they fit with the

client’s goals?

5. Questions for supervision

BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

FIELD EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Clinical Process Recording Template – Narrative Format

Individuals, Families, Groups

Your name:

1. Date and Brief Description of Contact (client information disguised): 2nd interview with 4

grade girl in urban

elementary school; 3

meeting of social skills group for 7

grade middle school boys; 1

family meeting with adult

children and their 75 year old mother who is in a rehab facility post-stroke.

2. Goals for the intervention: the outcomes you hope to achieve in this interaction.

3. Plans: Describe what you plan to do to achieve the goals.

4. Content of the interaction: In dialogue format (I said, she said) write what happened in the interaction between

you and the client(s).

5. Your observations of yourself and the client: Describe what you noticed about the client’s and your behavior, non-

verbal communication, changes in topic, emotional tone and so on.

6. Your thoughts and feelings: Describe what you were thinking and feeling (not doing or saying) during the

interaction. Highlight those parts of the interaction where you were challenged, did not know what to do, were

worried, angry, sad, or felt engaged and effective.

7. The competencies you demonstrated and the particular places in the interaction where you demonstrated them.

8. Your evaluation of the interaction: Did you meet your goals? What evidence do you have? If not, what happened?

What is your formulation of client strengths and difficulties? What are your goals and plans for future

interventions and how do they fit with the client’s goals?

9. Questions for supervision

BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

Field Education Department

Group Process Recording Template

(adapted from Big Sister Association of Greater Boston)

Your Name: Click here to enter text. Session

What,

anything, did you plan as a topic of discussion? Click here to enter text.

What

topic/s

were actually addressed? Click here to enter text.

Briefly

describe the session

Click here to enter text.

Describe the group tone/atmosphere: Click here to enter text.

Did you see any bonding/connections? Between whom? What bonded them? Was there any mutual aid?

Please

describe

Click here to enter text.

Were there any new

problems

issues

themes brought up in this session? Were there any challenging group dynamics? What do you make of

his?

Click here to enter text.

What group member roles did you see played out? (eg. silent member, dominating,

clown

peacemake

)

What work

(growth)

was

accomplished

during this session? Click here to enter text.

Based on

your analysis, what did you do well? Click here to enter text.

Choose

two

intera

from the session. The first should be an interaction that you believe went

well

and where your intervention

worked

for the group.

What

was

your goal?

Why

do you think it went well? Then choose another interaction that you

wish you

could do over

What

would

you have done

differently?

How

might you

have been more

effective?

What (exact words)

could

you have said or done?

In the section

below,

identify

key

areas of interaction during the session. Use verbatim accounts to describe these key

int

eract

ons and your interventions. Use

summarizing

statements

to fill

the gaps.

Content of Contact

Student’s Observations/Impressions

Student’s Feelings, Reactions, Thoughts

Click here to enter text.

BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

FIELD EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Macro Process Analysis Template – Column Format

Today’s date: ________________ Date of activity: ____________ Activity: __________________________________

Purpose of activity and its relation to larger goals:

Content

Comment

Competency

Supervisor

comment/feedback

Questions for supervision:

Content: As specifically as necessary, student reports on an item, activity, comment, interaction

Comment: Student records an observation, self-reflection, analysis or question relating to a meaningful item

Competency: Identify the Competency/ies that most relates to the content item; the student identified and comments on the

Competency skill used or not used in this Comment item.

Supervisor comment/feedback: A comment, question, or observation that relates to the comment or content item

Questions for supervision (at the end): Here the student should record questions that arose when completing the recording that

s/he’d like addressed in supervision

BOSTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

FIELD EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

Macro Process Analysis Template – Journal Format

Student: Date of event: PA date:

Purpose of activity and its relation to larger goals:

Content: As specifically as necessary, student reports on a meaningful event, meeting or

interaction. Within the narrative, please include:

Comment: In parenthesis or otherwise highlighted, the student offers an observation, self-reflection,

analysis or question within the narrative for further examination.

Competency: In parenthesis, the student identifies and comments on the Competency skill used or not

used at that moment of examination.

Questions for supervision (at the end): Here the student should record questions that arose when

completing the recording that s/he’d like addressed in supervision

Supervisor comment/feedback: A comment, question, or observation that relates to the comment or

content item, often made in the margins or using the software’s comment function.

Student Content

Field Instructor Comment

Future plans/next steps:

Questions for supervision: