Open AccessUnderstanding Physiotherapists’ Intention to Counsel Clients with Chronic Pain on Exercise: A Focus on Psychosocial Factors
Author(s) -
Jocelyn E. Blouin,
Miranda A Cary,
Mackenzie G Marchant,
Nancy C. Gyurcsik,
Danielle R. Brittain,
Jenelle Zapski
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
physiotherapy canada
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.389
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 1708-8313
pISSN - 0300-0508
DOI - 10.3138/ptc-2018-38
Subject(s) - psychosocial , physical therapy , focus (optics) , medicine , chronic pain , back pain , physical medicine and rehabilitation , nursing , psychology , alternative medicine , psychiatry , pathology , physics , optics
Purpose: Twenty percent of Canadians experience chronic pain. Exercise is an effective management strategy, yet participation levels are low. Physiotherapists can be key to counselling clients to engage in long-term unsupervised exercise. Yet, investigations that identify psychosocial factors related to physiotherapists' intention to counsel are lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine whether physiotherapists' knowledge of chronic pain, beliefs about pain, and self-efficacy to counsel on exercise predicted their intention to counsel clients with chronic pain on exercise. Method: Practicing physiotherapists ( N = 64) completed an online survey that assessed their knowledge of chronic pain, beliefs about pain, self-efficacy, and intention to counsel. A two-step hierarchical multiple regression predicted intention. Step 1 controlled for years of practice, and Step 2 included study variables significantly correlated with intention. Results: Beliefs about pain ( r = -0.35, p < 0.01) and self-efficacy ( r = 0.69, p < 0.01) were significantly correlated with intention. The overall regression model was significant, F 3,60 = 18.73; p < 0.001. Self-efficacy was the sole significant predictor, t 60 = 5.71, p < 0.0001, sr 2 = 28%. Conclusions: Self-efficacy may facilitate physiotherapists' intention to counsel on exercise for chronic pain. If shown to be a causal factor, interventions that target a change in physiotherapists' self-efficacy should be pursued.