Perfectionism, Stress, and the Entry-Level Doctor of Physical Therapy Student: A Cross-Sectional, Observational Study

Abstract

Introduction. Perfectionism consists of high standards and hypercritical selfevaluation. Some doctor of physical therapy (DPT) students experience increased stress levels due to rigorous academic expectations. ere is limited understanding of how successful these students are at managing increased stress, especially among perfectionists. e purpose was to examine perfectionism among entry-level DPT students and its relationship to perceived stress. Review of Literature. Researchers have studied perfectionism and stress in health professions programs, but not DPT programs. Being a Maladaptive Perfectionist (MP) was positively and strongly associated with stress among health professions students. Subjects. Convenience sample of firstyear, second-year, and third-year DPT students (n = 163). Methods. is was a nonexperimental, single-site, cross-sectional study. Investigators used 3-way analysis of variance to compare student characteristics and binomial logistic regressions to determine whether characteristic and/or perceived stress was predictive of perfectionism subtype. ey completed bivariate correlations to determine associations between perfectionism and stress. Results. Sample results demonstrated 41.10% Adaptive Perfectionists and 25.15% MPs. ere was a moderate, direct association between perceived stress and the perfectionism discrepancy measure (r s = .51, P < .01). e perceived stress and perfectionism subtype logistic regression model was statistically significant, x 2 (1) = 18.73, P < .01. Participants with increased perceived stress had 1.17 times higher odds of being categorized as an MP than those with lower stress levels. Discussion and Conclusion. Maladaptive Perfectionist students may be at greater risk for stress-related issues. Perfectionism and stress measures may assist educators in identifying at-risk students, monitor student response to stress management interventions, and consider curricular changes to lower stress. Students who effectively manage stress may ultimately have overall greater well-being.

You just want a break from the hatred of failure: The lived experience of being a student physiotherapist perfectionist and considerations for educators

“…Although the study was not set within a theoretical framework of perfectionism, interviewees reported experiences that align with perfectionism including fear of failure, a sense of inadequacy and peer comparison. In another study, again with doctor of physiotherapy students, Richardson et al (2022) reported positive correlations between perfectionism and perceived stress. The authors highlighted the importance of understanding how the cultures of health professions programmes might foster or buffer perfectionistic thinking.…”

A Comparison of Physical Therapist Educational Outcomes Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Study

“…e impacts of an inability to properly manage stress, anxiety, and concentration on educational outcomes have been well established. [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]64 It is plausible that these graduates may be influenced by the increased hardships of the pandemic, including stress, anxiety, and burnout. 62,64 Yet, it is unclear if the increased likelihood of failure in this sample is directly related to circumstances caused by the pandemic.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Studies have shown that health professional students experienced a wide array of adverse ramifications during the pandemic. [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] Findings show that the pandemic influenced levels of psychosocial and economic hardships. [21][22][23][24][25][26] Specifically, research indicates that DPT students withstood increased stress, burnout, fatigue, anxiety, and depression, decreased quality of life, financial hardship, lower program satisfaction, and sleep disturbances.…”

Academic Burnout and Perfectionism in UK-based Physiotherapy Students

“…Limited literature is speci c to allied health professional students, however, Richardson et al (2022) investigated perfectionism in Doctorate in Physiotherapy students in the USA whereas Wagner and Causey-Upton (2017) investigated perfectionism in Occupational Therapy students also in the USA, both studies found the majority of their respected samples to be classi ed as "perfectionist" through the use of the Almost Perfect Scale (Slaney et al, 2001). However, as the present study adopted a different measure of perfectionism a like for like comparison against the literature is di cult to implement.…”