Exploring the relationship between resilience and practice education placement success in occupational therapy students

Abstract

Introduction:Practice education is a fundamental component of health professional students' education and many personal, social and professional factors impact on students' performance. This study investigated the relationship between measures of resilience and practice education performance in occupational therapy students. Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was used to collect the data. In all, 149 occupational therapy students completed a self-report questionnaire comprised of demographic questions and two standardised scales: Resilience at University (RAU) and Resilience Scale for Adults (RSA). Students' practice education performance was measured by the Student Practice Evaluation Form-Revised (SPEF-R).Multi-linear regression analyses with bootstrapping were completed to identify resilience factors that were predictive of occupational therapy students' practice performance. Results: Overall, occupational therapy students reported high levels of resilience based on the RAU and RSA subscale scores. "Managing Stress," "Find Your Calling" and "Living Authentically" were strong predictors of a range of key fieldwork performance SPEF-R factors, including "Professional Behaviours," "Self-management Skills," "Co-worker Communication" and "Communication Skills." Conclusion: The resilience factors identified as being significant predictors of practice education performance outcomes in occupational therapy students represent notable findings. They suggest that students' capabilities in managing their stress levels, finding meaning in their chosen profession, and engaging self-care daily activities outside of the work environment that are meaningful, authentic and fit with one's personal values and beliefs can act as buffers against the challenges experienced by students who are completing practice education placements.The findings will assist academic and practice educators in identifying and targeting vulnerable students and strengthening resilience strategies through proactive

Changes in Resilience in Students of Occupational Therapy After Their First Exposure to Practice Placement Education

“…This would allow them to develop a professional identity and learn different ways of solving problems in the clinical practice. In this way, when students complete their final years of study, they will be able to be competent to define the theoretical and practical aspects of therapy and develop the necessary coping strategies to manage the stress of working in the profession (Brown et al, 2019 ).…”

Implications for Occupational Therapy Student Stress, Well-Being, and Coping: A Scoping Review

“…Specifically, students with moderate levels of resilience and family support were able to effectively manage their stress. Furthermore, a positive correlation between resilience and fieldwork success indicated increased student development, building on their strategies for managing stress, and instilling a professional identity (Brown et al, 2019).…”

“…Not only does the preparation of innovative teaching activities affect instructor time, but there can also be an increase in student time demands. The time demands of academic work contribute to moderate levels of stress affecting opportunities for students to relax and rest (Brown et al, 2019). Often, students sacrifice well-being to be academically successful (e.g., Ohl et al, 2019).…”

“…Specifically, Akselrud's (2018) study of Jewish Orthodox female occupational therapy students identified the stressors of coursework demands, a lack of effective coping strategies, and family roles and expectations. International students expressed stressors such as experiencing cultural, parental, and financial pressure to achieve good grades, in new and competitive academic environments (Brown et al, 2019).…”

Resilience, professionalism, and reflective thinking: The three-legged stool of health professional and teacher education students’ fieldwork practice / Resilienz, Professionalität und reflektierendes Denken: die drei Säulen für das Praktikum von Studierenden der Gesundheitsberufe und der Lehrerbildung

“…Engendering these traits via undergraduate curricula has become a focus within health-care and teaching education, and is often mandated as an accreditation requirement (Larson, 2014;Medical Professionalism Project, 2002). The practical nature of supervised fieldwork makes it well suited to developing these professional traits, particularly with respect to resilience and reflective thinking (Brown, Yu, Hewitt, Isbel, et al, 2020). Resilience is conceptualized as the ability to activate positive traits during stressful life events such as adversity, trauma, or tragedy, which prevent negative mental health outcomes and improves well-being (Russo, Murrough, Han, Charney, & Nestler, 2012).…”