What Numbers Don't Tell Us: Can Sociodemographic Factors Identify Grit, Resilience, and Imposter Phenomenon in Hybrid Doctor of Physical Therapy Students?

Purpose: To determine whether routinely collected sociodemographic admissions criteria (e.g., first-generation status, race, government assistance, youth employment) could serve as proxies for non-cognitive traits such as grit, resilience, and imposter phenomenon in hybrid Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students. Method: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was conducted among first-year students (N=100) across three accelerated, hybrid DPT programs. Students completed validated instruments measuring grit (Grit-O), general resilience (Brief Resilience Scale), academic resilience (Academic Resilience Scale), and imposter phenomenon (Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale) during their first semester. Sociodemographic data were obtained from admissions applications. Between-group comparisons were analyzed using independent t-tests and effect size calculations. Results: No significant differences were observed between sociodemographic groups for grit, academic resilience, general resilience, or imposter phenomenon. Histogram analyses confirmed comparable score distributions across all predictor variables. The mean grit composite score (3.83) aligned with published postgraduate norms, indicating overall consistency with prior literature. Conclusions: Sociodemographic admissions criteria did not predict differences in grit, resilience, or imposter phenomenon among hybrid DPT students. These traits appear broadly distributed across diverse groups and are not adequately captured by existing admissions variables. Findings reinforce that sociodemographic proxies are insufficient for evaluating non-cognitive strengths. Recommendations: Admissions committees should consider incorporating additional methods, such as structured interviews or personal essays, to directly evaluate non-cognitive attributes. Furthermore, embedding individualized supports within DPT curricula may help nurture resilience and persistence across all learners, regardless of background.