Article

Within physical therapy, patient adherence usually relates to attending
appointments, following advice, and/or undertaking prescribed exercise. Similar
to findings for general medical adherence, patient adherence to physical therapy
home exercise programs (HEP) is estimated between 35 and 72%. Adherence to HEPs
is a multifactorial and poorly understood phenomenon, with no consensus regarding
a common theoretical framework that best guides empirical or clinical efforts.
Mental models, a construct used to explain behavior and decision-making in the
social sciences, may serve as this framework. Mental models comprise an
individual's tacit thoughts about how the world works. They include assumptions
about new experiences and expectations for the future based on implicit
comparisons between current and past experiences. Mental models play an important
role in decision-making and guiding actions. This professional theoretical
article discusses empirical research demonstrating relationships among mental
models, prior experience, and adherence decisions in medical and physical therapy
contexts. Specific issues related to mental models and physical therapy patient
adherence are discussed, including the importance of articulation of patients'
mental models, assessment of patients' mental models that relate to exercise
program adherence, discrepancy between patient and provider mental models, and
revision of patients' mental models in ways that enhance adherence. The article
concludes with practical implications for physical therapists and recommendations
for further research to better understand the role of mental models in physical
therapy patient adherence behavior.

Langue : ANGLAIS