An analysis of social competences of professionally active physiotherapists in southeastern Poland - A pilot study

Abstract

Introduction: Social competence is the basis of professional potential and has to be understood as complex abilities that determine the effectiveness of dealing with social situations. The aim of this work was an assessment of social competences found in professionally active physiotherapists working in Poland. Material and Methods: The study involved 121 physiotherapists: 32 men and 89 women, aged 25 to 49 years. We used Social Competences Questionnaire by Anna Matczak (KKS-A(D) to assess the level of social competence. Results: The study revealed that physiotherapists had a good level of social competence. 44.63% of the study population had average general social competence, and 14.05% had high general social competence. A significant proportion of the study population, had low level of social competence (41.32%). The level of competence in dealing with situations that involved intimacy, social contacts and assertiveness was similar. We found that younger physiotherapists coped better in intimate situations. Studied therapists who were eager to listen to their patients' problems scored significantly higher on the competence scale that reflected effective behavior in social situations. Conclusions: Social competence of a therapist is an essential condition for them building appropriate rapport with patients, gives patients a sense of safety, and therefore significantly affects the effectiveness of the treatment.