A Survey of DPT Students with Learning Disabilities in the State of Alabama.

AIMS: Up to 15% of U.S. higher education students have a learning disability (LD) such as ADHD, dyslexia, or dysgraphia, which impacts academic skill acquisition. Limited research exists on students with LDs in healthcare science programs, and their representation in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)...

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Publicado en:Journal of Allied Health Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 81 - 87
Autores principales: Vaughan, Sarah Catherine, Blake, Dana Daniel
Formato: questionnaire/scale research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP) Spring2026
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
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      dt: Spring2026
      vid: 55
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      pid: 6826
      pub: Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions (ASAHP)
      place: Washington, District of Columbia
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        10.21091/jah.2026.01009
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        atl: A Survey of DPT Students with Learning Disabilities in the State of Alabama.
      aug:
        au:
          Vaughan, Sarah Catherine
          Blake, Dana Daniel
        affil: Empowered Wellness, Samford University, Birmingham, AL
      sug:
        subj:
          Students with Disabilities Psychosocial Factors
          Learning Disorders
          Students, Physical Therapy Psychosocial Factors
          Education, Physical Therapy
          Student Attitudes Evaluation
          Student Experiences Evaluation
          Program Evaluation
          School Accommodation
          Learning Environment
          Education, Doctoral
          Alabama
          Human
          Male
          Female
          Adult
          Multimethod Studies
          Convenience Sample
          Descriptive Statistics
          Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
          Dyslexia
          Academic Performance
          Learning Disorders Epidemiology
          United States
          Educational Measurement
          Distraction
          Confidence
          Adult: 19-44 years
          Male
          Female
      ab: AIMS: Up to 15% of U.S. higher education students have a learning disability (LD) such as ADHD, dyslexia, or dysgraphia, which impacts academic skill acquisition. Limited research exists on students with LDs in healthcare science programs, and their representation in Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) programs is unknown. This study aimed to explore the presence of students with LDs in Alabama DPT programs and to examine their perceptions of how their LDs impacted them and whether programs provided adequate accommodations. METHODS: A 12-item online survey was distributed to 326 students across five Alabama DPT programs. RESULTS: Ninety-two students completed the survey; these students were mostly female (n=72) and in the age range of 23-24 years old (n=51). Data revealed that students with LDs were present in these programs. Some reported that their LDs influenced their ability to gain admission and that accommodations during enrollment were insufficient. However, most students felt their LDs would not hinder their clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that DPT programs should acknowledge the growing presence of students with LDs, address potential barriers to admission, and ensure effective accommodations are provided. Encouraging students to utilize accommodations offices could enhance their academic experience. The confidence of students with LDs in their clinical abilities should inspire both prospective students and DPT programs to support diversity in physical therapy education.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        questionnaire/scale
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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