Abstract
PurposeRehabilitation science programs utilize cognitive and non-cognitive factors to select students who can complete the didactic and clinical portions of the program and pass the licensure exam. Cognitive factors such a prior grade point average and standardized test scores are known to be predictive of academic performance, but the relationship of non-cognitive factors and performance is less clear. The purpose of this systematic review was to explore the relationship of non-cognitive factors to academic and clinical performance in rehabilitation science programs.MethodsA search of 7 databases was conducted using the following eligibility criteria: graduate programs in physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, United States-based programs, measurement of at least 1 non-cognitive factor, measurement of academic and/or clinical performance, and quantitative reporting of results. Articles were screened by title, abstract, and full text, and data were extracted.ResultsAfter the comprehensive screening, 21 articles were included in the review. Seventy-six percent of studies occurred in PT students. Grit, self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, and stress were the most commonly studied factors. Only self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, and personality traits were examined in clinical and academic contexts. The results were mixed for all non-cognitive factors. Higher grit and self-efficacy tended to be associated with better performance, while stress was generally associated with worse outcomes.ConclusionNo single non-cognitive factor was consistently related to clinical or academic performance in rehabilitation science students. There is insufficient evidence currently to recommend the evaluation of a specific non-cognitive factor for admissions decisions.
Highlights
Background/rationale In rehabilitation science programs, traditionally cognitive factors such as grade point average (GPA) and standardized test scores, have been heavily weighted in admissions decisions [1] and used for matriculated students to predict academic performance in the didactic curriculum and licensure exam scores [2]
Study characteristics The 21 studies identified for full-text review included 2,843 students across 3 rehabilitation science domains (PT, occupational therapy (OT), speech-language pathology (SLP))
Fifteen studies explored non-cognitive factors in physical therapy (PT) students (n = 2,254) [15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25,26,27,28,29], 3 studies evaluated OT students (n = 328) [30,31,32], 2 studies examined SLP students (n = 108) [33,34], and 1 study included a mixed cohort of PT and OT students (n = 153) [35]
Summary
Background/rationale In rehabilitation science programs, traditionally cognitive factors such as grade point average (GPA) and standardized test scores, have been heavily weighted in admissions decisions [1] and used for matriculated students to predict academic performance in the didactic curriculum and licensure exam scores [2]. To better understand and explain this variability, extensive investigation into the relationship of non-cognitive factors to academic performance has been explored in many student populations [6]. Non-cognitive factors are especially relevant to graduate rehabilitation science students that must demonstrate proficiency across the cognitive, psychomotor and affective learning domains in both the classroom and clinical settings to graduate and be eligible for licensure
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
