A physiotherapist’s perception of their own behavior compared to the perception of their behavior by persons with TBI within the context of telerehabilitation: A self-determination theory perspective

ABSTRACT

Background

According to Self-Determination Theory, the fulfillment of basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness plays an important role in one’s motivation, engagement, and well-being. How a therapist is perceived to support or thwart these needs can impact adherence to treatment, thus influencing the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.

Objectives

This alternating single-subject design explores how the physiotherapist self-reports interpersonal behaviors, how the person living with a disability (PwD) perceives the physiotherapist’s supportive/thwarting interpersonal behaviors, and how the two align in the context of telerehabilitation.

Methods

Five PwD and their physiotherapist completed two telerehabilitation exercise programs. The PwD completed the Interpersonal Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ) to examine how they perceived the physiotherapist interpersonal behaviors. The physiotherapist completed the Interpersonal Behavior Questionnaire-Self (IBQ-Self) to document how they self-reported these same behaviors. Descriptive statistics were used to document self-reports and perceptions of behaviors.

Results

Each PwD perceived the physiotherapist as being more supportive than thwarting. The supportive/thwarting behaviors varied across relationships. Greater alignment of the perceptions of therapist and the PwD was observed at the end of the programme when compared to baseline.

Conclusion

Assessing how therapist support/thwart psychological needs and how these behaviors are perceived by PwD is recommended as it may influence the therapist’s behavior and the PwD’s adherence to future telerehabilitation exercise programs.

KEYWORDS:

• Interpersonal behaviors
• self-determination theory
• physiotherapy
• tele-rehabilitation
• traumatic brain injury

Acknowledgments

At the time of writing, the first author was supported by an Ontario Graduate Scholarship, an excellence scholarship from the University of Ottawa, and Bruyere Research Institure Graduate Scholarship. Project support was provided through a Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research-True Patriot Love grant as well as a Spark grant from the Center for Aging and Brain Health Innovation. We would like to acknowledge the contribution of Anne Hobson Taillon to the study as well as the incredible collaboration of the PwD and family partners who participated in this project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research;Bruyere Research Institute Graduate Scholarship;True Patriot Love;Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation;