The promotion of self-care management was not integrated into the undergraduate physiotherapy curriculum at Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH) until 2023. Given the rising number of dropouts and the negative impact of the COVID pandemic on young adults' mental health, addressing the issue of mental health is warranted. Therefore, a self-care plan was designed to encourage individuals to incorporate supportive habits for addressing physical, emotional, and social needs into their daily lives. Consequently, this study aimed to assess the impact of self-care plans on the mental health of undergraduate physiotherapy students.
This quasi-experimental study with two non-randomized cohorts (n = 192) was conducted at the Division of Physiotherapy, BFH, Switzerland. The intervention involved the development and implementation of a self-care plan. A self-care plan was introduced to the first cohort after their first internship and to the second cohort before their first internship through an instructional video. A survey developed by the student support staff assessed aspects such as self-care, perfectionism, self-doubt, and an idealized image of everyday hospital life. The study adhered to the reporting guidelines for observational studies. Descriptive analyses were applied to all outcome variables. A binominal test was used to assess students’ perceptions regarding self-care experience. Pearson chi-square tests were conducted to explore differences between internships and cohorts. An intention-to-treat approach was utilized.
80 students completed the survey. In cohort 1, 23% of students believed that the self-care plan had a positive effect, while 77% reported no impact (p = 0.487). Students’ professional self-image became significantly less dependent on treatment success (χ2 = 10.9, p = 0.012). Coping with self-doubt became significantly easier after the second internship (χ2 =14.4, p = 0.002). After the second and third internships, 86% of students disagreed that clinical decision-making was difficult (χ2 = 93.4, p 0.001). A significant association was found between cohorts 1 and 2, with substantially more students in cohort 2 understanding what a self-care plan is (p = 0.002).
Video instructions and information about a self-care plan impacted undergraduate physiotherapy students in only some of the assessed parameters. To ensure the effective implementation of the self-care plan, it is essential to enhance cognitive learning and self-awareness among undergraduate physiotherapy students by increasing contact hours and incorporating more practice sessions into the curriculum.
The study suggests that integrating self-care education into the curriculum over a longer period could lead to more positive outcomes in implementing self-care practices and enhancing mental health among bachelor students.
self-care
mental health
