Exploring physiotherapist experiences and beliefs about psychologically informed practice to inform development of a...

To explore physiotherapists' experiences, beliefs, and opinions about psychologically informed practice (PIP) in order to design a training programme for non-psychologist clinicians to enhance their PIP skills.

This study adopted an interpretive description qualitative methodology using focus groups and consistent with the aim of generating knowledge relevant to applied health and to inform the design of a training programme.

Phase one included musculoskeletal physiotherapists (n=18) who were purposively sampled to take part in two focus groups. A third focus group consisted of pain specialist physiotherapists (n=6) recruited from a specialist network in the UK called the Physiotherapy Pain Association (PPA) to explore further topics identified in phase one and to inform training development.

Qualitative content analysis was used as a framework for data analysis and consisted of subjective interpretation of textual data through a systematic classification process of coding and identifying themes or patterns.

Three interconnected themes that provide insights into the perceptions and experiences of physiotherapists concerning PIP were constructed: 1) Professional Roles and External Influences on PIP, 2) Interpersonal Aspects of PIP, and 3) Support Needs to Enhance PIP Application.

The findings provide an understanding of the multifaceted nature of PIP and its impact within healthcare settings. They will inform development of training to address gaps and provide practical strategies for enhancing PIP for non-psychologists. CONTRIBUTION OF THE PAPER.