Abstract

Aim: This study aims to determine the effects of applying psychosocial rehabilitation training using different methods on students' attitudes and behaviours towards geriatric and special needs individuals.
Materials and Methods: Second-year undergraduate physiotherapy students who voluntarily agreed to participate and signed an informed consent form were included in the study. Participants were randomly divided into three groups. The first group received psychosocial rehabilitation training combined with anatomy-based psychosocial rehabilitation practices focusing on the anatomical and physiological changes observed in older adults and individuals with; the second group received only theoretical psychosocial rehabilitation training; and the third group continued with the standard curriculum. Before and after the intervention, participants completed the Psychosocial Care Competence Self-Assessment Scale (PCCSAS), the Multidimensional Attitudes Toward Persons with Disabilities Scale (MAS), and Kogan’s Attitudes Toward Older People Scale (KAOP). Data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 software.
Results: There was no significant difference between the pre-test scores of the groups (p>0.05). After the training, a significant increase was observed in both the first group, which received psychosocial rehabilitation + practical training, and the second group, which received only psychosocial rehabilitation training (p0.05).
Conclusion: Psychosocial rehabilitation training positively affects students' psychosocial care competencies and their attitudes towards geriatric and disabled individuals. Practical training appears to create stronger learning and awareness than theoretical training.

Key words: Psychosocial support, rehabilitation, anatomy, aged, persons with disabilities, students