EFFECTS OF CLINICAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCES ON PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENT PAIN KNOWLEDGE, PAIN ATTITUDES, AND PAIN BELIEFS

S. Martin¹, M. Miller², S. Trotter³

¹Boston University, Physical Therpay, Boston, United States, ²University of St. Augustine, Physical Therapy, San Marcos, United States, ³Tufts University School of Medicine, Physical Therapy, Medford, United States

Background: Ensuring Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students are well prepared for their roles as clinicians is one of the primary goals in Doctor of Physical Therapy education. This study examined the effects clinical education experiences (CEE) had on the pain knowledge, pain attitudes, and pain beliefs of DPT students. This study was designed to further the body of knowledge on this topic and to support physical therapy educators in making informed decisions regarding clinical education and Pain Neuroscience Education (PNE) curriculum.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of CEE on the pain knowledge, pain attitudes, and pain beliefs of DPT students. Clinical education experiences are a critical component in the education of DPT students. The role of CEE and their impact on the pain knowledge, pain attitudes and pain beliefs of DPT students, however, has yet to be reported in the literature.

Methods: This quasi-experimental repeated measure study used a quantitative research methodology. The researcher examined the effect of a CEE on DPT student pain knowledge, pain attitudes, and beliefs. DPT students from one university served as the population for this study. The Revised Neurophysiology of Pain Questionnaire (rNPQ) and the Pain Attitudes and Beliefs Scale-Physiotherapists (PABS-PT) were used as data collection instruments at two data points, one before and one after the completion of a physical therapy CEE using the Qualtrics survey platform. Parametric statistical analysis was performed on the collected data with a matched paired t-test used to determine if CEE effect a change on the rNPQ and PABS-PT scores of DPT students.

Results: 132 first-year and second-year DPT students from one university were surveyed before and after their CEE. A series of match-paired t-tests were performed examining the change in mean scores between DPT student pre and post-test CEE rNPQ and BABS-PT scores. There was not a significant difference between the rNPQ pre-test and post-test scores of DPT students following a CEE t (74) = .073, p = .942 95% CI [-.35044, .37711]. There was not a significant difference between the pre-clinical experience and post-clinical experience PABS-PT Biomedical scores t (74) = 1.41, p = .160 95% CI [-.14114, .83821]. The difference between the PABS-PT Biopsychosocial scores of DPT students before and after clinical experience, however, did demonstrate a statically significant difference t (75) = -6.18, p = <.001 95% CI [-1.64874, -.84573].

Conclusions: The findings of this study suggested that completing a CEE does not effect the pain knowledge or the biomedical treatment orientation of DPT students. However, completing a CEE does positively change the biopsychosocial treatment approach of DPT students and, as a result, may cause DPT students to be more open to new practice patterns and have improved patient outcomes pain treatment.

Implications: The positive effect of CEE on the biopsychosocial treatment orientation of DPT students is relevant to both academic and clinical educators. This finding indicates that DPT students are more likely to develop or strengthen their biopsychosocial treatment orientation with exposure to patient care.

Funding acknowledgements: This work was unfunded.

Keywords:
Clinical Education
Pain knowledge
Biopsychosocial

Topics:
Education: clinical
Education
Pain & pain management

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: University of St. Augustine & Boston University

Committee: Institutial Review Board

Ethics number: PT-0413-032