Effects of an Intervention to Enhance Resilience in Physical Therapy Students
| Status: | Completed |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Psychiatric |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | Any |
| Updated: | 5/12/2016 |
| Start Date: | September 2015 |
| End Date: | January 2016 |
Health professional students experience high levels of psychological stress. Individuals
with higher levels of resilience are better equipped to handle stress. The purpose of this
study is to evaluate the effects of an 8-hour resilience curriculum on stress levels,
resilience, coping, protective factors, and symptomatology on students enrolled in a doctor
of physical therapy (DPT) program.
Hypothesis: The curriculum will decrease stress levels, increase resilience, coping
flexibility, protective factors (optimism, positive affect, and social support), and reduce
symptomatology (negative affect, illness). Research on stress and its consequences
experienced by physical therapy students in particular is limited. If the results of this
study support this hypothesis, it may establish the benefit of adding a resilience component
to the curriculum for students of physical therapy.
with higher levels of resilience are better equipped to handle stress. The purpose of this
study is to evaluate the effects of an 8-hour resilience curriculum on stress levels,
resilience, coping, protective factors, and symptomatology on students enrolled in a doctor
of physical therapy (DPT) program.
Hypothesis: The curriculum will decrease stress levels, increase resilience, coping
flexibility, protective factors (optimism, positive affect, and social support), and reduce
symptomatology (negative affect, illness). Research on stress and its consequences
experienced by physical therapy students in particular is limited. If the results of this
study support this hypothesis, it may establish the benefit of adding a resilience component
to the curriculum for students of physical therapy.
The study involves curriculum development and evaluation by randomized controlled trial.
Participants will be randomized to the intervention group to receive a Resilience Curriculum
or to a wait-list control group to receive a condensed version of the curriculum following
the post-intervention assessments.
Pre- and post-intervention assessments will be administered to both groups, with baseline
assessments administered in the first two weeks of the semester. The assessments will
include measures of stress levels, levels of resilience, coping flexibility, optimism,
positive and negative emotions, social support, and symptoms of illness. The intervention,
the presentation of a resilience curriculum, will be delivered to the intervention group
during the week following the baseline assessments and it will last for four weeks.
The resilience curriculum will provide education for participants about methods to increase
protective factors against stress, the use of effective coping strategies, and the
importance of accessing social support, with the goal of better managing stress and
enhancing resilience. The intervention will include a didactic component, skills-building
training, and homework exercises to encourage the application of the skills. The curriculum
will be delivered in four 2-hour modules, with one module delivered each week. The follow-up
assessments will occur after midterm examinations are concluded. An abbreviated curriculum
which will last approximately two hours will be delivered to the wait-list control group.
Participants will be randomized to the intervention group to receive a Resilience Curriculum
or to a wait-list control group to receive a condensed version of the curriculum following
the post-intervention assessments.
Pre- and post-intervention assessments will be administered to both groups, with baseline
assessments administered in the first two weeks of the semester. The assessments will
include measures of stress levels, levels of resilience, coping flexibility, optimism,
positive and negative emotions, social support, and symptoms of illness. The intervention,
the presentation of a resilience curriculum, will be delivered to the intervention group
during the week following the baseline assessments and it will last for four weeks.
The resilience curriculum will provide education for participants about methods to increase
protective factors against stress, the use of effective coping strategies, and the
importance of accessing social support, with the goal of better managing stress and
enhancing resilience. The intervention will include a didactic component, skills-building
training, and homework exercises to encourage the application of the skills. The curriculum
will be delivered in four 2-hour modules, with one module delivered each week. The follow-up
assessments will occur after midterm examinations are concluded. An abbreviated curriculum
which will last approximately two hours will be delivered to the wait-list control group.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Current enrollment in Doctor of Physical Therapy program at either Indiana University
or the University of Indianapolis
Exclusion Criteria:
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