Predicting Student Success in Entry-Level Doctor of Physical Therapy Courses

Early identification of students at risk for academic challenges in a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program may allow for timely intervention and support. Little is known about the ability of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) to predict academic success in first-year courses in a DPT program. Participants were 33 first-year DPT students from a single cohort. Student demographics, previous academic performance, and responses to the MSLQ for Anatomy and Biomechanics courses were collected early in each semester. Spearman correlations determined associations between undergraduate grade point average (GPA) or MSLQ responses and grades for Fall and Spring semesters. Self-reported undergraduate GPA was moderately correlated (r = 0.42) with Anatomy grades in the Fall semester. MSLQ responses were poorly predictive of course performance except for the test anxiety component, which was inversely associated with grades in Fall Anatomy (r = -0.34) and Biomechanics (r = -0.35) courses. Grades in both courses were strongly correlated in Fall (r = 0.83) and Spring (r = 0.60) semesters. DPT programs may consider assessing test anxiety from the MSLQ in the first semester to identify students potentially needing additional resources for academic performance. Early communication between instructors of different courses may assist in meeting student needs.