302737
Conceptual Model of a Proficient Massage Therapist
Super’s Career Development Theory1–3 was modified to create a conceptual model for massage therapist proficiency that identifies underlying constructs that may explain variability in therapist effectiveness in treating clients as well as reasons for high attrition rates from the profession. Understanding the constructs of a proficient massage therapist is essential to move the field forward. The proposed constructs for a proficient massage therapist include external factors as well as personal factors which influence a therapist’s skills/proficiency. Innate talent (i.e. a strong kinesthetic sense or someone just “having good hands”) and interpersonal and written communication skills are the personal factors in this model, whereas initial education, experience, continuing education and membership in a professional organization are the external factors. The constructs may also work in concert with each other; for example, membership in a professional organization may influence continuing education. All of these constructs act within an external context (e.g. regulation and licensing requirements in the therapists state) which may also influence the proficiency of the massage therapist.
Literature review and interviews with key stakeholders guide the model which needs to be tested to explore which constructs explain variability in proficiency and attrition rate. Instruments created from this model could be used by professional organizations and businesses to identify areas of strengths and weaknesses and future continuing education offerings could be developed to address core areas for improvement.
Learning Areas:
Communication and informaticsPublic health or related research
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health
Learning Objectives:
Define and describe the constructs of a proficient massage therapist in context.
Keyword(s): Alternative and Complementary Health
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been a massage therapist for 14 years, as a doctoral student I have been focusing my research on understanding massage therapy's effects on health and health behavior; to understand this, we must first understand massage therapists. My active volunteering with the Massage Therapy Foundation and the American Massage Therapy Association has given me a significant amount of contact with MTs on a national and international basis.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.