Back when I started shooting, I learned the basics of rifle on a .22, and pistol on a .45. The thinking was- riflery usually doesn't have the time constraints that pistolry does. You revert to your level of training, so initial training with a full size caliber is what you will expect (nose, recoil, etc) when the rubber meets the road, so to speak.
Fast forward a few years. I became a pistol instructor, and for people who had never fired a pistol before, I would start them with a Smith 66, with 158 gr 38 Special wadcutters. A friend started her training with a .22.
After firing .38 for a while, and when the student felt ready, I'd give them five .357 mag rounds, and one .38. The comparison eliminated any further complaits about recoil, nose, etc. from the .38. My friend could never get used to a SD calber, until I did this to her. She still complains about recoil, though. I suspect as a holdover from her .22 days.
Point is, .22 has it's place, but ONLY after you know what the "real" deal feels and sounds like.
(and I maintain that .38, although a little weak, works better for SD than .22
)