title: Physiotherapy students find guided journals useful to develop reflective thinking and practice during their first clinical placement: a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study evaluated physiotherapy students' perception of a reflective journal in developing reflective thinking and practice and identified the main concepts recorded by students in the journal.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mixed methods study with qualitative content analysis of student journals and quantitative analysis of questionnaire responses.
  
  
  METHODS
  131 (74 female, 57 male) physiotherapy students undergoing their first clinical placement.
  
  
  METHODS
  On completion of their placement, students submitted a reflective journal electronically and completed a questionnaire of closed and open ended questions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were analysed using frequencies for the responses of the closed questions and thematic analysis of the open ended questions. Journals were de-indentified and underwent a content analysis using Leximancer software to obtain a concept map and frequencies of the main concepts identified in the journals, with specific examples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority (88%, 79/90) of respondents found the journal useful in assisting them to learn from their experiences, and to develop reflective thinking and practice. 54% (49/90) indicated they would continue to use the journals. The most frequently identified concepts were residents, time and exercises; representing more than 5000 of the total concepts identified in the journals. Analysis of the reflective journals indicated that students demonstrated improvements in the three stages of reflective practice: awareness of thoughts and feelings, critical analysis of situation, and development of new perspectives.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Guided journal writing may be a useful tool in facilitating reflective thinking and practice during clinical placements of physiotherapy students.
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast campus, Australia. m.constantinou@griffith.edu.au
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Constantinou
authors.forename: Suzanne S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kuys
mesh_terms: D001499:Bayes Theorem; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059825:Physical Therapists / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013850:Thinking; D014956:Writing