Do demonstration videos actually teach therapy skills?

123 psychology students were randomized to watch a video or reread the text — with a clear winner for learning technique.

This Study tested whether demonstration videos help psychology students learn specific therapeutic techniques. After reading instructional material, 123 students were randomly assigned to either watch a video or reread the text before participating in a simulated therapy session. Students who watched the systemic‑therapy video performed noticeably better in systemic techniques than those who only reviewed the text. However, the psychodynamic video did not lead to better performance compared to rereading. The results suggest that demonstration videos can effectively teach practical skills, but approaches that require deeper theoretical understanding—like psychodynamic therapy—may be harder to learn through video alone. More research is needed to understand how these videos influence long‑term skill development.