Personality characteristics of physiotherapy students

Seventy-nine first year physiotherapy students from Lincoln Institute were matched for age and sex with a sample of fifty-two trainee teachers from Melbourne State College. The two samples were compared on personality dimensions as measured by Cattell's Sixteen Personality Factor Inventory. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences on five dimensions; Factors I, M, N, O and Q1. Compared to the teaching students the physiotherapy undergraduates were less tender-minded, more practical and conventional, more forthright, more self-assured and more conservative. These results were reasonably consistent with other findings and had implications for professional behaviour and future training of physiotherapists.