Patterns of Academic Burnout, Emotional Distress, and Coping in Physical Therapy Students.

At the start and end of the semester, 163 first- and second-year doctoral physical therapy (DPT) students from two campuses of an entry-level clinical doctoral education program completed the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory-School (OLBI-S), which explores two aspects of burnout (Exhaustion and Disengagement) and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21). Students also identified the type and frequency of coping behaviors used across the semester. Score changes and coping behavior frequency were analyzed with paired t-tests and two-way mixed ANOVA. Exhaustion, Disengagement, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress all increased significantly by the end of the semester for the entire cohort. Second-year students were significantly more depressed, anxious, stressed, disengaged, and exhausted compared to first-year students. Ten coping strategies were identified. Positive coping strategies included exercise and time with family/friends. Negative strategies included use of social media and consuming alcohol. Students decreased overall use of coping activities as levels of distress and burnout increased. Students who increased time spent with Friends and Family during the semester demonstrated significantly less depression, anxiety and stress scores compared to those who spent the same or less time with Friends and Family. Awareness of the patterns of emotional distress, burnout, and coping can assist DPT educators in providing appropriate support and education on optimal strategies for self-care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]