.................................................................................................................................. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................ v LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 Potential Predictors of NPTE Success ........................................................................................ 8 PT Applicant Variables ........................................................................................................... 8 PT Student Variables ............................................................................................................... 9 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................................ 9 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................................. 10 Research Questions ................................................................................................................... 11 Research Question 1 .............................................................................................................. 11 Research Question 2 .............................................................................................................. 11 Significance of the Study .......................................................................................................... 11 Content of the Remaining Chapters .......................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER II: SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................... 13 National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) ..................................................................... 15 Factors that Predict NPTE Success ....................................................................................... 19 Purpose of the Systematic Literature Review ........................................................................... 29 Systematic Literature Review ................................................................................................... 31 Step 1: Framing the Question ................................................................................................ 31 Step 2: Identifying Relevant Work ........................................................................................ 32 Step 3: Assessing the Quality of Studies ............................................................................... 34