Ryan J Pontiff, Peggy Gleeson, Katy Mitchell, Rupal M Patel
{"title":"Prevalence of Stress and Burnout in Physical Therapist Clinical Instructors.","authors":"Ryan J Pontiff, Peggy Gleeson, Katy Mitchell, Rupal M Patel","doi":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000386","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000386","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This study investigates the prevalence of stress and burnout among Physical Therapy Clinical Instructors (PT CIs) using the Perceived Stress Scale - 10 (PSS-10) and Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) surveys. Given the critical role of PT CIs in student education, understanding their stress and burnout levels is essential.</p><p><strong>Review of literature: </strong>The, PSS-10, a 10-item self-report survey, measures perceived stress with scores ranging from 0 to 40. It has demonstrated good psychometric properties, including test-retest reliability (r = 0.77) and criterion validity (r = -0.70 with short form-36). The OLBI, a 16-item survey, assesses burnout through disengagement and exhaustion subscales, showing strong reliability (r = 0.85) and validity.</p><p><strong>Subjects: </strong>The study included 494 PT CIs who met the inclusion criteria of having supervised a student physical therapist within the past 12 months and working full time. Participants were nationally recruited via emails and social media.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional design was employed. Participants completed an electronic survey consisting of a demographic form and the PSS-10 and OLBI measures. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics, with one-way ANOVAs conducted to assess differences between demographic groups. This study was conducted midway through the COVID-19 pandemic.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean PSS-10 score was 15, indicating moderate stress for 56.1% of participants. The mean OLBI score was 36.95, indicating moderate burnout for 65.4% of participants. Significant differences between groups in both stress and burnout were found across age and marital status variables. Notably, women reported higher burnout levels than men.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusion: </strong>Physical Therapy Clinical Instructors exhibit moderate stress and burnout levels, similar to general PT populations. The findings highlight the need for targeted interventions supporting PT CIs, particularly considering the COVID-19 pandemic impact. Future research should explore additional factors influencing PT CI stress and burnout and develop strategies of mitigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":517432,"journal":{"name":"Journal, physical therapy education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142848809","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Straight From the Source: Doctor of Physical Therapy Students' Perspectives on the Impacts of Program Policies and Procedures on Sense of Belonging.","authors":"Madeline Ratoza, Peyton D Sykes, Sara E North","doi":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000384","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JTE.0000000000000384","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>There is an urgent need to increase access to and inclusion in health professions education programs for individuals with diverse backgrounds and needs. The purpose of this study is to explore student perspectives of the ways in which current Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program policies, procedures, and practices may facilitate or hinder a culture of belonging and the ability to participate across diverse student identities and needs.</p><p><strong>Review of literature: </strong>To date, there are no best practices in promoting and supporting health profession student belonging, and the student voice is absent in the literature. This prompts a need for guidance on where and how academic DPT programs should focus initial efforts as they self-assess their degree of compliance with newly revised accreditation standards.</p><p><strong>Participants: </strong>Sixteen DPT student volunteers from 2 institutions across 4 campuses in 4 states.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional qualitative study using thematic analysis with semistructured interviews was used to gather student perspectives regarding factors that positively and negatively affect sense of belonging. Three researchers qualitatively analyzed transcriptions using a combination of open and axial coding to identify themes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Final consensus coding yielded 179 coded responses across 95 unique codes categorized in 6 themes: faculty and staff relationships, program policies and procedures, cohort and peer relationships, diverse identities, communication, and program resources.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusion: </strong>This is the first study known to investigate the use of student voice to better understand, operationalize, and potentially improve belonging within DPT education. Results demonstrate that when given a voice, students are able to articulate both observations of present-state sense of belonging and clear ideas and recommendations for ways in which DPT programs could address sense of belonging. Findings may help frame program policies and procedures from the student lens by offering themes, strategies, and recommendations for promoting a culture of belonging.</p>","PeriodicalId":517432,"journal":{"name":"Journal, physical therapy education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142809065","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Ryan Dombkowski, Steven Sullivan, Tricia Widenhoefer, Thomas Gus Almonroeder
{"title":"Examining the Impact of an Intervention Designed to Improve National Physical Therapy Examination Performance Among Physical Therapist Education Program Graduates.","authors":"Ryan Dombkowski, Steven Sullivan, Tricia Widenhoefer, Thomas Gus Almonroeder","doi":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000383","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JTE.0000000000000383","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) first-time pass rates are trending downward in recent years. As a result, there is a need for programs to identify ways to promote improved NPTE performance among their graduates.</p><p><strong>Review of literature: </strong>Previous studies have identified factors that can be used to predict an individual's chances of passing the NPTE. However, to our knowledge, there are no published studies describing interventions designed to improve NPTE performance. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a novel intervention, which involved providing students with an individualized predicted NPTE score combined with faculty advising to support their NPTE preparation.</p><p><strong>Subjects: </strong>This study included members of 6 consecutive cohorts (190 total graduates) from an entry-level doctoral physical therapist education program.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The members of the first 3 cohorts served as historical controls, while the final 3 cohorts received the intervention (experimental cohorts). The intervention involved using a regression model to predict students' NPTE scores based on their prior academic performance. Faculty then shared these predicted scores with students and provided individualized advising to support their NPTE preparation. Regression analyses were conducted to compare NPTE performance for the control and experimental cohorts, while accounting for between-group differences in academic performance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>On average, the experimental cohorts performed 25.9 points higher on the NPTE and had over 5 times greater odds of passing the NPTE, compared to those in the control cohorts, after accounting for the covariates within the regression models.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusion: </strong>Our intervention, which combined providing students with their predicted NPTE scores and faculty advising to support students' NPTE preparation, was feasible to implement without requiring extensive additional resources. It appears that our novel intervention is a viable approach for promoting improved first-time NPTE performance.</p>","PeriodicalId":517432,"journal":{"name":"Journal, physical therapy education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142809064","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development, Content Validity, and Reliability of the Physical Therapy Social Determinants of Health Scale.","authors":"Rupal M Patel, Zachary D Rethorn, Elise N Bjork","doi":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000389","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JTE.0000000000000389","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>This study describes the development, content validity, and reliability of the Physical Therapy Social Determinants of Health Scale (PT-SDHS), in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students.</p><p><strong>Review of literature: </strong>Addressing inequities stemming from the social determinants of health (SDOH) is critical for providing effective clinical care and improving population health. Currently, no tool exists to assess DPT students' education or competence with SDOH.</p><p><strong>Subjects: </strong>Recruited domain experts were licensed health professionals, had a peer-reviewed publication on SDOH, and had at least 3 years of experience with SDOH. A convenience sample of DPT students was also recruited from multiple cohorts at 2 universities in multiple geographic locations.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Association for Medical Education in Europe best practices for developing questionnaires for educational research guided development of the PT-SDHS. Eight experts established content validity through item- and scale-content validity index measures and modified Kappa statistics. Qualitative data determined clarity and comprehensiveness. Construct validity and scale reliability were determined using exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's alpha.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The PT-SDHS showed high item content validity (range: 0.86-1) and scale content validity (S-CVI/UA = 0.83; S-CVI/Ave = 0.98). After expert validation, the PT-SDHS consisted of 30 items with 5 ordinal answer choices. Factor analysis of 254 DPT student responses revealed 4 content domains with a factor loading greater than 0.4. Two items did not load onto any of the factors, and 2 items were cross-loaded onto multiple factors, so they were removed, leaving a scale of 26 items. Cronbach's alpha ranged from 0.74 (satisfactory) to 0.96 (excellent) across the 4 factors.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusion: </strong>The PT-SDHS is the first psychometrically valid and reliable instrument related to educating DPT students on 4 SDOH domains: Knowledge, Attitudes, Personal Barriers, and Beliefs About Others. This tool could aid development and assessment of SDOH educational interventions for health care students.</p>","PeriodicalId":517432,"journal":{"name":"Journal, physical therapy education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142804099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Christopher Clock, Monica Arrigo, Anne McCarthy Jacobson, Jane Baldwin, Emile R Boutin
{"title":"Balint Groups: A Novel Approach to Address Doctor of Physical Therapy Student Affective Domain Development.","authors":"Christopher Clock, Monica Arrigo, Anne McCarthy Jacobson, Jane Baldwin, Emile R Boutin","doi":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000388","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JTE.0000000000000388","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Abstract: </strong>Recent calls for Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) education to cultivate the affective domain or \"habits of the heart\" have highlighted a gap in curricula, where cognitive and psychomotor learning domains are often the focus. Balint groups, traditionally used in medical education, offer a potential method for addressing this gap. These small peer discussion groups provide a space for students to reflect on the emotional and interpersonal complexities of providing patient care through practicing perspective-taking. The authors share information addressing implementation of Balint in DPT education and benefits experienced by students, including perceived improvements in empathy, emotional awareness, and therapeutic patient relationships. By developing these \"habits of the hear,\" future physical therapists will be better equipped to attend to the humanistic aspects of patient care.</p>","PeriodicalId":517432,"journal":{"name":"Journal, physical therapy education","volume":"38 4","pages":"359"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142985886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Examining the Early Academic Performance of Doctor of Physical Therapy Students After Holistic Review: A Retrospective Cohort Study.","authors":"Megan Eikenberry","doi":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000340","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000340","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>A diverse health care workforce can help to address systemic health disparities. Holistic review and use of an expanded definition of underrepresented minority (URM) that includes factors beyond race and ethnicity are suggested methods to promote diversity in the physical therapist (PT) workforce and ultimately address societal health disparities.</p><p><strong>Review of literature: </strong>Evidence suggests that holistic review can promote PT student diversity; however, limited evidence exists that describes the academic outcomes of holistic review that consider social determinants of learning (SDOL) factors in the review process. The purpose of this study was to examine the early academic outcomes of students after a holistic review and to examine relationships between SDOL factors and academic performance.</p><p><strong>Subjects: </strong>A convenience sample of 160 students admitted to a doctor of physical therapy (DPT) program from June 2020 to June 2022 was used.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A secondary analysis of students' self-reported responses from their admissions application was used to categorize response data into SDOL groups. An independent-sample t -test was used to test group differences in academic performance, and regression modeling was used to test relationships between SDOL factors and academic performance.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean 6-month DPT program grade point average (GPA) of the sample was 3.32 ± .43. Nonstatistically significant differences appeared in early DPT GPA between URM and non-URM student groups. However, after controlling for undergraduate GPA, a history of educational disadvantage was the only SDOL factor that contributed to early DPT GPA variance (2.6%), P < .05.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusion: </strong>The similar academic performance of URM and non-URM students provides support for using an expanded URM definition in holistic review. Most of the educationally disadvantaged group were first-generation college students, which was associated with lower early GPA. These results provide emerging evidence that first-generation students in DPT programs may benefit from additional academic support.</p>","PeriodicalId":517432,"journal":{"name":"Journal, physical therapy education","volume":" ","pages":"322-330"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140178634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Psychometric Analysis of an Integrated Clinical Education Tool for Physical Therapists.","authors":"Marcie Becker, Richard K Shields, Kelly J Sass","doi":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000341","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000341","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>Integrated clinical education (ICE) courses require opportunities for practice, assessment of performance, and specific feedback. The purposes of this study were to 1) analyze the internal consistency of a tool for evaluating students during ICE courses, 2) examine the responsiveness of the tool between midterm and final assessments, and 3) develop a model to predict the final score from midterm assessments and explore relationships among the 6 domains.</p><p><strong>Review of literature: </strong>Several clinical education assessment tools have been developed for terminal clinical experiences, but few have focused on the needs of learners during the ICE.</p><p><strong>Subjects: </strong>Eighty-five student assessments were collected from 2 consecutive cohorts of physical therapist students in a first full-time ICE course.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The tool contained 29 items within 6 domains. Items were rated on a 5-point scale from dependent to indirect supervision. Cronbach's alpha was used to analyze the internal consistency of the tool, whereas responsiveness was examined with paired t -test and Cohen's d . A best subsets regression model was used to determine the best combination of midterm variables that predicted the final total scores. Coefficients of determination ( R2 ) were calculated to explore the relationships among domains.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The tool was found to have high internal consistency at midterm and final assessment (α = 0.97 and 0.98, respectively). Mean scores increased over time for each domain score and for the total score ( P < .001; d = 1.5). Scores in 3 midterm domains predicted more than 57% of the variance in the final total score.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusion: </strong>Results support the use of this tool to measure student performance and growth in a first full-time ICE course. Targeted measurement of students' abilities in ICE courses assists with differentiating formative and summative learning needed to achieve academic success.</p>","PeriodicalId":517432,"journal":{"name":"Journal, physical therapy education","volume":" ","pages":"277-284"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140873077","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"On Merit and Equity in Admission to US Physical Therapist Education Programs: A Qualitative Analysis of Faculty Habitus.","authors":"Matthew A Nuciforo","doi":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000338","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/JTE.0000000000000338","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>In contrast to the increased diversity of the US population, historically excluded racial and ethnic groups remain underrepresented in the physical therapist profession. As decision-makers, faculty exert direct influence on enrollment through evaluating applications and determining which applicants are deserving of admission to physical therapist programs.</p><p><strong>Review of literature: </strong>Faculty decision-making in admissions is a cultural process which can reproduce inequities and perpetuate underrepresentation if faculty fail to recognize systemic disparities in legitimized forms of merit. No studies within physical therapist education have directly investigated faculty habitus and patterns of thought and behavior which reinforce admissions decision-making. The purpose of this study was to describe patterns of faculty habitus which influence judgments of admission merit and equity in US physical therapist education programs.</p><p><strong>Subjects: </strong>Sixteen physical therapy faculty across 3 physical therapist education programs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using interpretative research methodology and a constructivist approach, semistructured interviews were conducted with each participant. Faculty social actions were also observed during field observations. Thematic analysis using Bourdieu's social reproduction theory was used for coding and establishment of themes.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Two predominant patterns of faculty habitus with corresponding themes emerged from the data: Transformative habitus oriented faculty toward a sense of responsibility to promote equity, construct a more contextualized understanding of merit, and formulate compelling applicant storylines; gatekeeping habitus positioned faculty to support a meritocratic process, reinforce traditional notions of academic rigor, and support the necessity of adjusting standards to address underrepresentation.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusion: </strong>Findings revealed contrasting patterns of faculty habitus which legitimized certain criteria, knowledge, and experiences on which decisions of merit were based. Attention to the individual dispositions of faculty decision-makers in addition to criteria and processes used in holistic review may shape equitable access to physical therapist education programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":517432,"journal":{"name":"Journal, physical therapy education","volume":"38 4","pages":"285-292"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142985830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Catherine M Andrea, Megan B Flores, Katherine F Wilford
{"title":"Work-Life Balance of Faculty in Professional Physical Therapist Education: A Mixed-Methods Study.","authors":"Catherine M Andrea, Megan B Flores, Katherine F Wilford","doi":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000346","DOIUrl":"10.1097/JTE.0000000000000346","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to explore perceptions of work-life balance (WLB) of full-time faculty in professional physical therapist (PT) education programs.</p><p><strong>Review of literature: </strong>Studies show that faculty are at risk of diminution of WLB and subsequent burnout due to job expectations and changing educational landscapes. Limited evidence exists to describe perceived WLB of faculty in professional PT education.</p><p><strong>Subjects: </strong>Full-time faculty in professional PT education programs ( n = 239) responded to an online survey and 16 participated in focus group discussions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Work/Nonwork Interference and Enhancement Survey (W/NW Scale), faculty characteristic prompts, and open-ended questions were disseminated electronically to all accredited professional PT education programs within the United States. Focus groups were conducted to further explore nuances of WLB. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for survey categorical variables with means and standard deviations for continuous variables. Differences in W/NW Scale and faculty characteristics were analyzed using independent-samples Mann-Whitney U tests. Open coding and an iterative process of thematic analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Medians for all W/NW Scale dimensions were between 2 and 3 out of 5. W/NW Scale dimension scores differed significantly in each of the faculty characteristics of gender, defined workload, and faculty job searching ( Z = -2.399 to -3.517, P ≤ .016). Qualitative data yielded 3 main themes: 1) implicit and explicit job duties ; 2) leadership ; and 3) individual boundaries . Ebb and flow of WLB emerged as an overarching theme.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusion: </strong>This study offers a portrayal of the lived experience of faculty regarding WLB. Results offer useful information about faculty demographics, work-related factors, and personal responsibilities. One limitation was that cultural, community, and religious demands were not explored. Findings may facilitate improved understanding of faculty WLB perceptions and can guide leadership to optimize the balance between faculty's paid work and personal life.</p>","PeriodicalId":517432,"journal":{"name":"Journal, physical therapy education","volume":" ","pages":"348-358"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141077410","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}