Can a Community of Practice Improve Physical Therapists’ Self-Perceived Practice in Developmental Coordination Disorder?

• Published in: Physical therapy 2017-07, Vol.97 (7), p.746-755
• Main Authors: Camden, Chantal, Rivard, Lisa M., Hurtubise, Karen, Héguy, Léa, Berbari, Jade
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Analysis; Apraxia; Behavior; Clinical Competence; Communities of practice; Dyspraxia; Education, Continuing; Female; Humans; Impact factors; Knowledge; Motor Skills Disorders - rehabilitation; Perceptions; Physical Therapists; Physical therapy; Physical Therapy Specialty - education; Practice; Professional development; Psychological aspects; Rehabilitation; Self Efficacy; Self perception; Social aspects; Sociodemographics; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Virtual communities
• ISSN: 0031-9023; 1538-6724
• DOI: 10.1093/ptj/pzx041

Abstract Background. Communities of practice (CoPs) are useful knowledge translation (KT) strategies, but little is known about their impact on physical therapists’ self-perceived practice. Purpose. The impact of a CoP on physical therapists’ self-perceived practice was evaluated, and factors influencing changes in self-perceived knowledge, skills, and practice related to developmental coordination disorder (DCD) were explored. Design. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used, guided by the Theory of Reasoned Action and Theory of Planned Behavior. Methods. Physical therapists participated in a DCD physical therapist CoP, which included 2 full-day, face-to-face workshops, with access to a 5-month online forum between the workshops, and completed questionnaires at 3 time-points: before the first workshop, before accessing the online forum, and following the second workshop. Measures completed before and after the CoP included closed-ended questions providing global scores on therapists’ self-perceived knowledge, skills, and practice. Physical therapists’ sociodemographic characteristics, information-seeking style, use of the online forum, and behavioral change goals were also collected. Paired t-tests, ANCOVAs, and linear regression models were used to analyze the data. Results. Forty-one physical therapists completed all questionnaires. Their self-perceived knowledge, skills, and practice change scores were significantly higher (+0.47, +1.23, and +2.61, respectively; P < .001) at the end of the CoP compared with the beginning. Few of the factors explored significantly influenced therapists’ self-reported change scores. Limitations. No observational data on practice change was collected. The small sample may have limited the ability to identify factors influencing self-perceived practice changes. Conclusions. The CoP increased physical therapists’ self-perceived knowledge, skills, and practice. More research is needed to explore CoP impact on physical therapist practices and how behavioral changes influence patient outcomes.