Changes of Self-and Social-Communicative Competence in Early Stages of Physiotherapy Education Results of a Pilot Study at fh gesundheit (fhG)

Background: Each therapeutic relationship puts high demands on the involved physiotherapist's self and social-communicative competence. These skills ripen within the process of professional socialisation and their training is considered to be of high importance within the scope of professional education. Objective: This study examined the occurrence of selective self-and communicative competence in an early stage of physiotherapeutic education in the FH-Bachelor physiotherapy degree programme in Tyrol. Methods: At the beginning and end of their first term of the Bachelor programme 27 seven students received questionnaires on emotionality and body concept and performed an emotion recognition test. Results: At the end of the first semester students had significant improved in emotion recognition. In correlation with profession-specific demands they showed a significant decrease of negative regulation strategies and an increased use of reflective strategies in coping with their emotions. Conclusion: Early incorporation of courses on self-competence are considered to be promising.