The Effect of Creative Drama on Empathic Tendencies, Communication Skills and Critical Thinking of Physiotherapy Students

Abstract

The empathic tendency, communication skills, and critical thinking are the professional attitude behaviors that should be in a physiotherapist. The study was planned to investigate the effects of creative drama on empathic tendencies, communication skills and critical thinking of physiotherapy students. This study was carried out in Hasan Kalyoncu University, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation between October 2017 and December 2018. 75 freshman physiotherapy students (44 women, 31 men) were included in the study. According to the results obtained from the study; there was no significant difference between empathic tendencies, communication skills and critical thinking skills of individuals in both groups (p> 0.05). When the creative drama group was compared in terms of gender, there was no significant difference between individuals' empathic tendencies, communication skills and critical thinking skills (p> 0.05). Similarly, when the control group was compared in terms of gender, there was no significant difference between individuals' empathic tendencies, communication skills and critical thinking skills (p> 0.05). We think that this study is a preliminary study on empathic tendencies, communication skills, and critical thinking skills of physiotherapy students. Parameters such as gender, different years of education, and welfare levels can affect empathic tendency, communication skills, and critical thinking skills. There are limited studies in the literature investigating the effectiveness of creative drama in the field of health. Therefore, this work can give an idea for subsequent studies. The studies that are conducted with more patients and which are multi-centered should be done. UDC Classification: 615.8,

Beyond scientific and technical training: Assessing the relevance of empathy and assertiveness in future physiotherapists: A cross‐sectional study

“…It is clear, therefore, that the higher the level of assertiveness, the higher the level of self-esteem. [25][26][27][28][29] However, a contrast can be seen between the results in the literature on how empathic thinking develops in health science students as they progress in their careers. The training of health professionals should integrate general knowledge common to all health professions, such as anatomy, physiology, pathology and research, but also knowledge specific to each profession, medicine, nursing, physiotherapy, and others.…”

“…For example, nursing students with low levels of assertiveness may experience greater signs of anxiety and/or depression. It is clear, therefore, that the higher the level of assertiveness, the higher the level of self‐esteem 25‐29 …”

“…The aforementioned will be explored in this work, which is the first part of a larger research project whose aim is to improve the training of the students in this respect. As argued by Çınar et al, 25 more studies and investigations are needed that address everything related to critical thinking and social and communication skills among students in a multicentric way: age, gender, years of educational training, and even students' social well‐being.…”

“…It is clear, therefore, that the higher the level of assertiveness, the higher the level of self‐esteem. 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 …”

Exploring the Relationship between Socioemotional Skills and Decision-Making Styles in Health Students

“…Higher education in health study programs is particularly focused on technical skills development, despite there being a consensus on the importance of training students in regard to socioemotional and life skills (Ribeiro, Severo, & Ferreira, 2016;Rodríguez-Nogueira, Moreno-Poyato, Álvarez-Álvarez, & Pinto-Carral, 2020). In this context, it is crucial to include the training of transversal skills in the academic curriculum of health students, as these skills can facilitate interpersonal relationships, accountability, and decision-making in a clinical setting (Çinar, Dinler, & Yakut, 2019). The quality of interpersonal relationships in health professionals relies on socioemotional skills, and it is reflected in ineffective or effective communication.…”