Month/Year of Graduation

5-2026

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Department

Biology

First Advisor

Philippe Malcolm

Abstract

Physical therapy is practiced across a wide range of clinical settings that differ substantially in patient populations, goals, and care timelines. While standardized outcome measures are commonly used to evaluate treatment effectiveness, little research has examined how physical therapists themselves define successful outcomes  or whether those definitions vary across inpatient and outpatient contexts. This study employed a qualitative mixed-methods design to explore how physical therapists conceptualize success in clinical practice. Ten licensed physical therapists participated in semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using thematic analysis.

Supplementary quantitative data were collected via an online background survey. Five primary themes emerged: goal-oriented, patient-centered success; safe discharge and functional independence; systemic and institutional barriers; the role of confidence and the therapeutic relationship; and the evolution of success definitions over time. While inpatient therapists emphasized safe discharge and functional readiness for home, outpatient therapists focused more on return to meaningful activity and long-term confidence. Despite these setting-specific differences, all participants shared a patient-centered value orientation, suggesting that clinical context shapes the practical targets of therapy without altering its underlying purpose. Findings highlight the need for greater alignment between institutional systems and the patient-centered values that guide frontine physical therapy practice.

Comments

Reviewed and passed for accessibility

Download

Share

COinS