Psychological Flexibility Predicts Perceived Stress in Doctor of Physical Therapy Students

University students generally, and Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students specifically, experience stress that may threaten their well-being and academic performance with implications after graduation. Universities can benefit from implementing strategies to help students develop stress management skills. An essential first step is identifying modifiable psychological variables that allow students to cope positively with stress. Psychological flexibility may represent one such variable. However, the predictive relationship between psychological flexibility and stress in DPT students is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether psychological flexibility is a predictor of lower perceived stress and which psychological flexibility dimension is the most significant predictor of lower perceived stress in DPT students.

Study participants (n = 66) included DPT students from four campuses within one university system. Participants completed an online survey that included demographic questions, the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale, and the Comprehensive Assessment of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy processes.

Higher levels of psychological flexibility predicted lower levels of perceived stress. The openness to experience dimension of psychological flexibility was the most significant predictor of lower perceived stress.

Results suggest that interventions to improve psychological flexibility, specifically openness to experience, may help programs minimize perceived stress in DPT students.