An additional purpose of the study was to determine whether participant characteristics were associated with level of interest in using CBT.
Ascertaining level of interest could help to focus educational intervention efforts (eg, targeting groups of physical therapists most likely to incorporate CBT into practice).
Of the 9 variables considered, practice setting, percentage of patients with pain,
and physical therapy degree were the variables most strongly associated with interest in CBT.
Respondents working in home care reported lower levels of interest in using CBT than respondents from any other practice setting.
One possible explanation for this finding is that that therapists working in home care perceive greater challenges for implementing CBT than therapists working in other settings.
Only one interaction was found to be significant (ie, between case load and therapist educational level).
Therapists with higher academic degrees and a lower caseload of older patients with chronic pain had the highest level of interest in using CBT techniques.
Although this finding is interesting, possible reasons for the observed difference remain unclear.
Perhaps given the relatively lower day-to-day experience in working with older patients with chronic pain,
these therapists have a lower level of comfort in their current treatment methods,
thereby making them more amenable to different approaches.