Virtual Lecture, Live Lecture, Flipped Classroom: Does DPT Pain Curriculum Format Affect Student Pain Beliefs? A Preliminary Study

Authors

Jeb Helms, Northern Arizona UniversityFollow
Jamie Ball, Columbia Southern UniversityFollow
Kory J. Zimney PT, DPT, PhD, University of South DakotaFollow

Abstract

Purpose: Currently there are multiple published examples of successful DPT delivery models for the International Association for the Study of Pain curricular guidelines. However, there are no direct comparisons between different IASP delivery models such as in-person vs hybrid or lecture vs flipped classroom. The purpose of this study was to compare 3 delivery formats for teaching a DPT pain science IASP based course (1. Virtual Lecture 2. In-person Lecture 3. Flipped in-person) for pre course and post course differences in student biomedical/biopsychosocial beliefs, and confidence to treat patients in pain.Method The instructors remained consistent throughout the study period, but students listened to the lectures virtually in 2020, in-person in 2022, but asynchronously in 2023 as part of a flipped classroom approach. In 2023, synchronous class time was used to apply the asynchronous content via student led communication practice. All students filled out anonymous pre-course and post-course surveys to measure their confidence to treat patients in pain as well as their treatment orientation towards a biomedical or biopsychosocial model. Results For all three years, class mean scores significantly improved from pre class to post class suggesting increased confidence to treat patients in pain, decreased biomedical beliefs, and increased biopsychosocial beliefs in all three delivery models. There were no significant differences between delivery models. For both pain care confidence and biomedical beliefs, there was not a significant interaction effect of delivery model and testing time. However, there was a statistically significant interaction effect for posttest biopsychosocial pain beliefs in favor of the 2023 flipped in-person model compared to virtual lecture in 2020 F(1, 288) = 3.91, p = .021, partial η2 = .026, a small effect.Conclusions The causal comparative study design prevents concluding that all three delivery models were equally effective at improving pain care confidence and decreasing biomedical beliefs or that the flipped in-person model was more effective at improving biopsychosocial beliefs. However, it does provide preliminary evidence that the potential differences between delivery models are likely small with a slight benefit to the flipped in-person method.

Author Bio(s)

Jeb Helms is a clinical associate professor within the Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training at Northern Arizona University

Jamie L. Ball is a research and dissertation faculty member at Columbia Southern University within its doctoral writing and research center.

Kory J. Zimney is an associate professor within the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of South Dakota.

Recommended Citation

Helms J, Ball J, Zimney KJ. Virtual Lecture, Live Lecture, Flipped Classroom: Does DPT Pain Curriculum Format Affect Student Pain Beliefs? A Preliminary Study. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2025 Jul 28;23(3), Article 12.