Professionalism, Resilience and Reflective Thinking: How Do These Influence Occupational Therapy Student Fieldwork Outcomes?
Ted Brown, Mong‐Lin Yu, Alana Hewitt, Robert Cousland, Jamie Etherington
Abstract
The relationship between entry-level, undergraduate occupational therapy students’ fieldwork performance and measures of professionalism, reflective thinking and resilience was examined. A group of 135 undergraduates (86% female) completed a self-report questionnaire containing the standardized instruments measuring professionalism, resilience and reflective thinking. The Australian Student Practice Evaluation Form–Revised (SPEF–R) measured fieldwork performance. Linear regression analyses identified Staying Healthy and Relationships with Others as significant predictors of students’ fieldwork performance in Professional Behaviors, Self-Management and Information Gathering. The findings highlight the importance of interpersonal skills and engagement in healthy lifestyles in key fieldwork performance areas.