The development of pre-registration occupational therapy student perceptions of research and evidence-based practice: A Q-Methodology study

Tanya Rihtman; Mike Morgan; Julie Booth

doi:10.1080/11038128.2024.2391318

The development of pre-registration occupational therapy student perceptions of research and evidence-based practice: A Q-Methodology study

Tanya Rihtman, Mike Morgan, Julie Booth

School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health

Oxford Brookes University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

Background
Pedagogically sound curricula are needed for occupational therapy (OT) students to adopt evidence-based practice (EBP) principles and internalise EBP within their professional identities. Exploring students’ perceptions of this knowledge area can contribute to effective curriculum design.

Aims/Objectives
To explore the evolution of pre-registration OT student perceptions of research and EBP over the course of their engagement with undergraduate teaching and learning.

Materials and methods
The Q-sort approach synthesises different viewpoints regarding a sample of statements, using by-person factor analysis (respondents = variables; statements = sample). Final year pre-registration OT students completed the same Q-sort at three timepoints (pre-dissertation [n = 18]; post-dissertation submission [n = 12]; post-student research conference [n = 6]). Q-sort responses were intercorrelated and factor-analysed; extraction of factors with an eigenvalue of ¬>0.9 and varimax rotation identified majority viewpoints.

Results
Significant factors were revealed at each timepoint: 1a: ‘Evidence–inseparable from OT practice’, 1b: ‘Research for research’s sake-inseparable from the occupational therapy identity’, 2: ‘Who am I to question the gurus?’, 3: ‘I can do it with confidence…but so what?’

Conclusions
Opportunities for completing ‘authentic’ student research projects, with ‘ownership’ of results, may enhance research and EBP confidence and professional identity.

Significance
Findings expand current knowledge regarding effective use of pre-registration educational opportunities to support future research and EBP.

Original language	English
Article number	2391318
Pages (from-to)	1-14
Number of pages	14
Journal	Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy
Volume	31
Issue number	1
Early online date	18 Aug 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/11038128.2024.2391318
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 18 Aug 2024

Bibliographical note

© 2024 the author(s). published by informa uK limited, trading as taylor & francis Group. this is an open access article distributed under the terms of the creative commons attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. the terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.

Keywords

Attitudes
Evidence based practice
Occupational therapy
Pedagogy
Q-Methodology
Research capability

Access to Document

10.1080/11038128.2024.2391318Licence: CC BY

Morgan2024VoRFinal published version, 1.39 MBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "The development of pre-registration occupational therapy student perceptions of research and evidence-based practice: A Q-Methodology study",

abstract = "BackgroundPedagogically sound curricula are needed for occupational therapy (OT) students to adopt evidence-based practice (EBP) principles and internalise EBP within their professional identities. Exploring students{\textquoteright} perceptions of this knowledge area can contribute to effective curriculum design.Aims/ObjectivesTo explore the evolution of pre-registration OT student perceptions of research and EBP over the course of their engagement with undergraduate teaching and learning.Materials and methodsThe Q-sort approach synthesises different viewpoints regarding a sample of statements, using by-person factor analysis (respondents = variables; statements = sample). Final year pre-registration OT students completed the same Q-sort at three timepoints (pre-dissertation [n = 18]; post-dissertation submission [n = 12]; post-student research conference [n = 6]). Q-sort responses were intercorrelated and factor-analysed; extraction of factors with an eigenvalue of ¬>0.9 and varimax rotation identified majority viewpoints.ResultsSignificant factors were revealed at each timepoint: 1a: {\textquoteleft}Evidence–inseparable from OT practice{\textquoteright}, 1b: {\textquoteleft}Research for research{\textquoteright}s sake-inseparable from the occupational therapy identity{\textquoteright}, 2: {\textquoteleft}Who am I to question the gurus?{\textquoteright}, 3: {\textquoteleft}I can do it with confidence…but so what?{\textquoteright}ConclusionsOpportunities for completing {\textquoteleft}authentic{\textquoteright} student research projects, with {\textquoteleft}ownership{\textquoteright} of results, may enhance research and EBP confidence and professional identity.SignificanceFindings expand current knowledge regarding effective use of pre-registration educational opportunities to support future research and EBP.",

keywords = "Attitudes, Evidence based practice, Occupational therapy, Pedagogy, Q-Methodology, Research capability",

author = "Tanya Rihtman and Mike Morgan and Julie Booth",

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doi = "10.1080/11038128.2024.2391318",

language = "English",

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T1 - The development of pre-registration occupational therapy student perceptions of research and evidence-based practice

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AU - Morgan, Mike

AU - Booth, Julie

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PY - 2024/8/18

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N2 - BackgroundPedagogically sound curricula are needed for occupational therapy (OT) students to adopt evidence-based practice (EBP) principles and internalise EBP within their professional identities. Exploring students’ perceptions of this knowledge area can contribute to effective curriculum design.Aims/ObjectivesTo explore the evolution of pre-registration OT student perceptions of research and EBP over the course of their engagement with undergraduate teaching and learning.Materials and methodsThe Q-sort approach synthesises different viewpoints regarding a sample of statements, using by-person factor analysis (respondents = variables; statements = sample). Final year pre-registration OT students completed the same Q-sort at three timepoints (pre-dissertation [n = 18]; post-dissertation submission [n = 12]; post-student research conference [n = 6]). Q-sort responses were intercorrelated and factor-analysed; extraction of factors with an eigenvalue of ¬>0.9 and varimax rotation identified majority viewpoints.ResultsSignificant factors were revealed at each timepoint: 1a: ‘Evidence–inseparable from OT practice’, 1b: ‘Research for research’s sake-inseparable from the occupational therapy identity’, 2: ‘Who am I to question the gurus?’, 3: ‘I can do it with confidence…but so what?’ConclusionsOpportunities for completing ‘authentic’ student research projects, with ‘ownership’ of results, may enhance research and EBP confidence and professional identity.SignificanceFindings expand current knowledge regarding effective use of pre-registration educational opportunities to support future research and EBP.

AB - BackgroundPedagogically sound curricula are needed for occupational therapy (OT) students to adopt evidence-based practice (EBP) principles and internalise EBP within their professional identities. Exploring students’ perceptions of this knowledge area can contribute to effective curriculum design.Aims/ObjectivesTo explore the evolution of pre-registration OT student perceptions of research and EBP over the course of their engagement with undergraduate teaching and learning.Materials and methodsThe Q-sort approach synthesises different viewpoints regarding a sample of statements, using by-person factor analysis (respondents = variables; statements = sample). Final year pre-registration OT students completed the same Q-sort at three timepoints (pre-dissertation [n = 18]; post-dissertation submission [n = 12]; post-student research conference [n = 6]). Q-sort responses were intercorrelated and factor-analysed; extraction of factors with an eigenvalue of ¬>0.9 and varimax rotation identified majority viewpoints.ResultsSignificant factors were revealed at each timepoint: 1a: ‘Evidence–inseparable from OT practice’, 1b: ‘Research for research’s sake-inseparable from the occupational therapy identity’, 2: ‘Who am I to question the gurus?’, 3: ‘I can do it with confidence…but so what?’ConclusionsOpportunities for completing ‘authentic’ student research projects, with ‘ownership’ of results, may enhance research and EBP confidence and professional identity.SignificanceFindings expand current knowledge regarding effective use of pre-registration educational opportunities to support future research and EBP.

KW - Attitudes

KW - Evidence based practice

KW - Occupational therapy

KW - Pedagogy

KW - Q-Methodology

KW - Research capability

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JO - Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy

JF - Scandinavian Journal of Occupational Therapy

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M1 - 2391318

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The development of pre-registration occupational therapy student perceptions of research and evidence-based practice: A Q-Methodology study

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access to Document

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