Abstract
Purpose: To assess the impact of self-selected self-care activities, supported by four interspersed reflection prompts, on the perceived stress and resilience of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students over 12 weeks. Methods: This exploratory study used a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Participants included third-semester DPT students (n=37; Class of 2024) enrolled in an eight-semester program.100% provided consent, with an 89% response rate (n=32). Quantitative pre- and post-measures included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD RISC-25), and a researcher-developed survey which asked students to identify their current self-care activities from a list of physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and academic options. These were assessed using nonparametric paired tests. Qualitative data included reflections on strategies they would/did try for self-care and anticipated/realized barriers and were analyzed using a phenomenological approach. Results were then merged and interpreted. Results: PSS scores decreased from 17.38 to 14.79 (0.006) and CD RISC-25 scores increased from the lowest quartile to the next indicating stress reduction and increased resilience. Six themes emerged from the students’ narrative data with evidence of adaptive and maladaptive behaviors. The overall essence of the themes was identified as personal agency. Students’ initial engagement with self-care activities reflected an emphasis on physical exercise. At the end of the 12 weeks, there was a shift towards a more integrated biopsychosocial approach, distributed across five self-care domains. The self-care activities that students engaged in more frequently (self-reflection, play, setting limits, balancing studying) aligned with the themes of connection, joy, boundaries, and wellbeing, respectively. Conclusions: Self-directed self-care activities with reflection are effective in managing stress and increasing resilience in DPT students. This study highlights the need for institutional support to foster a culture of wellness and suggests that promoting self-care during DPT education may benefit student well-being and professional development.
Recommended Citation
Taylor LF, Tunney NM, Fraher L. Impact of Self-Selected Self-Care Activities on Perceived Stress and Resilience of Doctor of Physical Therapy Students. The Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice. 2025 Jul 28;23(3), Article 25.
