Cross-discipline Gfneralizabil Ity of Fuller's Teacher Concerns Model

Based upon several studies involving teacher trainees, Fuller (1969) posited that education students progress through .a three7stage,sequence of concerns during their training. First, they are concerned about themselves, and later ttey tend.to become more concerned about their krowledge of the subject.-Finally,* they become concerned about their effect on the pupils they teach. This.study investigated whether Fuller's cohcerns model would be applicable to the training experienced by:Iea;th professionals.. Two areas were investigated: (1) the three concerns'stagescf teachers and their similarity to the corcere*experience of physical therapisti; and (4 the progress of the physical therapists through .,%he stages of the sequence and the;simiIarity.to the sequence proposed by Fuller, Thirty-four physical therapy students and forty-eight practicing, physical therapist were the sutjects of the studs. Thee instrument used was the Teacher, ioncerns Checklist, developed by George, Borich, and Fuller (1'974), which was modified slightly to measure the concerns of physical therapists. Results indicated that physical therapy students as# practitioners experienced the same three concerns stages as outlined ty Fuller fdr teachert, The students and therapists also progressed ttrcush the stages in the sem/re:sequence that was propoted by Fuller,. The results sdggest that Fu Is concrns mod41 is. valid in profesiticne other than education has some indications for the ,training 'of health professionals. 0)