Development of an Instrument to Measure Attitudes of Physical Therapy Providers Working With People With Dementia

• Published in: American journal of Alzheimer's disease and other dementias Vol. 27; no. 5; pp. 331 - 338
• Main Authors: Staples, William H., Killian, Clyde B.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.08.2012
• Subjects: Alzheimer Disease - rehabilitation; Attitude of Health Personnel; Clinical Competence; Current Topics in Research; Dementia - rehabilitation; Humans; Physical Therapists - psychology; Psychometrics - instrumentation; dementia disorder; physical therapy; Alzheimer’s disease; therapeutic nihilism; attitudes
• ISSN: 1533-3175; 1938-2731
• DOI: 10.1177/1533317512452041

Background and Purpose:This study investigated the factor structure of an instrument to measure attitudes and beliefs of how physical therapist (PT) practitioners perceive working with people with a dementia disorder. Methods:A survey was mailed to every skilled nursing facility in Indiana (n = 495) for completion by a PT or physical therapist assistant. The survey was developed and included whether the severity of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) impacts the attitudes of physical therapy practitioners. Results:Of the 12 attitudinal questions, 11 were significant (P < .001) concerning how the severity of a diagnosis of AD (early, middle, and late) impacts attitudes of people in physical therapy practice. Principal component analysis identified 3 factors with Eigen values of 3.3 or higher accounting for 43% of the cumulative variance. These factors include professional competence, resources, and conscientiousness. Conclusion:This brief instrument could serve as an assessment tool to determine whether PT practitioners exhibit therapeutic nihilism when working with people with a dementia disorder.