A clinical reasoning model focused on clients' behaviour change with reference to physiotherapists: its multiphase...

Area of Science:

• Health Sciences
• Physical Therapy
• Behavioral Medicine

Background:

• Biopsychosocial approaches and behavior change strategies are crucial for complex health issues.
• Clinical reasoning by health professionals is significantly impacted by these approaches.
• Existing frameworks lack specific guidance for behavior change in physiotherapy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a conceptual model for physiotherapy clinical reasoning.
• To focus the model on guiding physiotherapists in facilitating client behavior change.
• To provide a structured approach for integrating behavior change into physiotherapy practice.

Main Methods:

• Phase 1 involved literature review and expert knowledge synthesis.
• Phases 2a and 2b utilized focus groups with physiotherapy students and expert interviews.
• Model refinement was based on feedback from students and behavioral medicine experts.

Main Results:

• A theory- and evidence-informed conceptual model was generated.
• The model was validated and refined through expert and student input.
• The final model defines clinical reasoning for behavior change as a multi-level, iterative process.

Conclusions:

• A novel model aids physiotherapists in systematic clinical reasoning for behavior change.
• The model integrates client and therapist input, behavioral analysis, and strategy selection.
• This framework supports evidence-based practice in physiotherapy for behavior modification.