School of Occupational Therapy
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Item Applying the standards of education of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists to selected occupational therapy educational programs in the United States(2007-05) Amerih, HusnyIn higher education, accreditation has been used to maintain the quality of education at universities and their schools by setting standards of education. Both the World Federation of Occupational Therapists and the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education set standards of occupational therapy (OT) education so that educational programs can graduate practitioners with the needed “tools” for effective practice in OT. To explore the issue of differences and commonalities between the ACOTE and the WFOT standards of education, and how they may affect graduating therapists, three studies were conducted. The first study consisted of a literature review related to: higher education in the United States, occupational therapy standards of education in the US, the World Federation of Occupational Therapists’ standards of education, the cross-countries challenges and adaptation of foreign healthcare workers. The Second Study applied the WFOT Revised Standards of occupational therapy education to a selected sample of OT schools in the US, to investigate to what extent do OT schools in the US meet the WFOT Standards? And to what extent do OT curricula in the US emphasize the substantial knowledge, skills and attitudes outlined in the WFOT Revised Standards? Five OT Schools in the US participated. On average, all the universities covered 87% of the WFOT competencies at the Knowledge, Skills, and Attitude levels, ranging from 77% to 90%. The universities combined coverage to Knowledge was 88%, Skills was 85%, and Attitudes was 80%. The third study explored the challenges and adaptation of occupational therapists who practice in foreign countries; the perceptions of occupational therapists to their readiness to practice OT in a different country. Seven occupational therapists were interviewed. Three main themes emerged from analyzing the interviews, they were: general challenges while working in a foreign country; OT-related challenges; and issues related to occupational therapy education, several subthemes emerged as well. This dissertation contributed to OT literature by comparing standards of education of the ACOTE and the WFOT. Also by bringing attention to the challenges that occupational therapists face when moving to foreign countries and how they adapt to these challenges.Item Art making and identity formation in children and adolescents with differing social behaviors(Taylor & Francis, 2017-10-13) Fletcher, Tina; Lawrence, Shelby S.Not everyone develops social behaviors and interaction skills in an expected manner. This study explored the relationship between art making and identity formation in children and adolescents who were identified as having differing social behaviors. In three small group settings, 17 participants created abstract self-portraits from modeling compound and responded to questions about their self, self-concept, and self-esteem. From this, a model was created to describe identity formation as it relates to the relationships between social environment, desired occupations and activities, and creativity. Practice guidelines are proposed for those who provide children and adolescents with opportunities to make art as part of sessions aimed to promote the development of a healthy self-concept.Item Bottom-up and top-down cognitive rehabilitation following mild traumatic brain injury - Occupational therapists' perspective: An online survey study(All India Occupational Therapists' Association, 2021) Vas, Asha K.; Luedtke, Anna; Ortiz, Eryn; Neville, MarshaBackground: Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBIs) can result in long-lasting cognitive deficits. Comprehensive rehabilitation efforts need to integrate varied training approaches to address cognitive challenges and subsequently improve long-term functional outcomesItem Can sensory gallery guides for children with sensory processing challenges improve their museum experience?(Taylor & Francis, 2018-01-26) Fletcher, Tina; Blake, Amanda B.; Shelffo, Kathleen E.Children routinely visit art museums as part of their educational experience and family time, many of them having special needs. The number of children diagnosed with autism and sensory processing disorders is increasing. These conditions may include heightened sensory avoiding or seeking behaviors that can interfere with a child’s ability to benefit from museum visits. Environmental modifications and sensory-based treatments are commonly used to support children with sensory processing disorders, but museum environments or programs cannot always lend themselves to being altered to provide optimal results. This research explored whether museum gallery guides for sensory avoiders and seekers could be utilized with children with sensory sensitivities to help them prepare for and participate in museum experiences. Results showed combining both sensory avoiding and seeking gallery guides into one sensory friendly gallery guide can have a positive impact on a child’s museum experience. To achieve success, sensory gallery guides must be developmentally appropriate, provide structure for a gallery visit, facilitate active thinking, looking, and discussion, and showcase interesting gallery spaces providing a variety of sensory-rich objects.Item Cognitive rehabilitation: Mild traumatic brain injury and relevance of OTPF(Hindawi, 2023) Vas, Asha; Luedtke, Anna; Ortiz, Eryn; Mackie, Natalie; Gonzalez, SamanthaThere is increased awareness of the long-term cognitive sequelae of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Therefore, researchers and clinicians have developed and tested cognitive training protocols to address these challenges. The current review summarized literature that examined existing cognitive rehabilitation/training programs. Specifically, the review listed the impact of these programs on functional domains informed by the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF). Literature between the years 2008 and 2022 was gathered from nine databases. Results indicate that several cognitive rehabilitation programs have proven to positively influence domains of occupation, client factors, performance, and context. Occupational therapy practitioners have an opportunity to engage in mTBI management. Furthermore, adopting domains of OTPF may guide assessments, treatment planning, and long-term follow-up.Item Cognitive-physical-functional correlates in chronic brain injury: A pilot study(Termedia Publishing, 2022) Vas, Asha K.; Spees, Stephen; Wang, Wanyi; Chambers, KeatynIntroduction: Functional challenges persist even years following brain injury. Integrating multiple domains as part of therapy may improve global outcomes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships among cognitive, physical and functional domains in adults with chronic brain injury.Item Comparing learning platform impact on low vision education for occupational therapists(Western Michigan University, 2020) Perea, Jaimee D.; Sit, WilliamThis pilot study examines the impact of face-to-face, remote, and hybrid learning platforms on satisfaction, confidence, and knowledge-application of occupational therapy practitioners during a synchronous low vision continuing education program. Fifteen participants were divided into three groups, each corresponding to one learning platform. They engaged in two 45-min learning sessions and completed pre, post, and follow-up surveys to measure the impact of the learning platform on the dependent variables of satisfaction, confidence, and knowledge application. No significant differences were found between learning platforms for the three variables, but improvements from pre to follow-up survey were found to be significant for confidence and knowledge application for all groups. These f indings indicate that similar education provided to occupational therapy practitioners may result in improved confidence and knowledge application to clinical practice from the beginning to the end of the educational program, despite the learning platform. Flexibility with online learning options increased participation and adherence rates. Synchronous remote and hybrid learning platforms may be as effective as traditional face-to-face methods, specifically with increasing practitioner confidence and knowledge application. Remote options may reduce peer interactions but increase flexibility and convenience with scheduling for program scalability and accessibility.Item A comparison of two computer-assisted cognitive training program outcomes for breast cancer survivors: A pilot study(Korean Society of Occupational Therapy, 2019) Smith, Theresa M.; Ratcliff, KarenPURPOSE: Breast cancer survivors(BCS) have memory, attention, processing speed, and/or executive function impairment affecting their quality of life(QOL) and function. Study aims were: (1) compare computer-assisted cognitive training with visual exercises to one with audio+ visual exercises, and (2) gain insight into the relationship between engagement in meaningful activities, cognitive deficits and QOL.Item Considering the museum experience of children with autism(The Museum Journal, 2016-01) Kulik, Taylor Kelsey; Fletcher, TinaThis article reports on a study that was designed to provide insight about the barriers that limit families with children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) from visiting fine arts museums. Parents (N=54), and staff and volunteers (N=62) at the museum completed a questionnaire about their perceptions of the participation of children with ASD in museum activities. Some significant differences in responses were found between parents and museum staff and volunteers. Parents reported being thankful for the sense of community that Autism Awareness Family Celebrations provide, but were frustrated with reactions from others during typical museum experiences. Museum staff and volunteers expressed that museum participation was important, but responses were split between those who desired to learn more about ASD in order to create an optimal museum experience, and those who preferred not to take on this initiative. Studies such as this help museums become more inclusive.Item Constraint induced movement therapy with armeospring pediatric training for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy(2015-08-30) Roberts, HeatherConstraint Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) is a therapeutic intervention using constraint of the non-involved limb while a child engages in intense training with hemiplegic extremity. No studies to date have examined the effectiveness of CIMT combined with the Armeo®Spring Pediatric, a robotic device, in the pediatric hemiplegic cerebral palsy (hCP) population. The Armeo®Spring combines virtual reality games with repetitive upper limb movements. The games aim to increase motivation to complete repetitive tasks required to improve function. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of hand function of CIMT compared to CIMT with Armeo®Spring and the perceived experience of using the Armeo®Spring compared to fine motor tasks. Twelve children with hCP (age 6-11yr, 8 M, MACS Level I= 2, II= 9, III= 1, right hCP= 7) were recruited at a pediatric hospital. Eight subjects completed CIMT camp 6 hours for 10 days; 4 subjects completed CIMT camp with Armeo®Spring daily for 30 minutes. Primary outcome measure, Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA), and secondary outcome measures, Melbourne Assessment of Unilateral Upper Limb Function (MUUL), Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), Tone (MAS and Tardieu), Range of Motion, grip strength, proprioception, and stereognosis were compared before and post intervention. Perceived observations on motivation, engagement, enjoyment and frustration were recorded during Armeo®Spring and fine motor activities. Clinically significant gains were observed in the augmented CIMT group on the AHA, COPM, and grip strength. The CIMT group demonstrated improvements on the AHA, MUUL, COPM, and grip strength. The augmented group demonstrated significant improvement on the AHA. Mean scores for motivation, engagement, and enjoyment were higher on the Armeo®Spring than fine motor tasks. The Armeo®Spring is a novel therapy that improves functional outcomes for children with hCP. Compared to CIMT alone, CIMT with Armeo®Spring appears to provide more intensive training. Based on particpant comments, its robotic features and videogame interface also appeal to the children leading to increased motivation, engagement and enjoyment while providing the just right challenge of the affected limb. This study provides a framework supported by evidence-based data for non-invasive treatment of children with hCP.Item Construct validity of the Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire-Teacher Version(Assessment for Effective Intervention, 2018) Piller, Aimee; Fletcher, Tina; Pfeiffer, Beth; Dunlap, Karen; Pickens, NoralynThe Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire–Teacher Version (PSEQ-TV) is a teacher report questionnaire designed to examine the impact of the sensory environment on participation for preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study examines the construct validity of the assessment through principal components analysis (PCA). One hundred three preschool teachers completed the research version of the PSEQ-TV. Component analysis revealed six factors: modification, support, preschool tasks, group routines, mealtime, and tactile. This study provides evidence as to the construct validity of the PSEQ-TV. The PSEQ-TV can be used to identify sensory-related environmental barriers within the preschool environment. By identifying these barriers, teachers and other support staff can modify the environment and/or provide support to increase participation of preschool children with ASD across school environmentsItem Creative thinking in schools: Finding the "Just Right" challenge for students(SAGE, 2011) Fletcher, TinaSpurred on by explosive technological developments and unprecedented access to information, leaders in the fields of business, industry, and education are all calling for creative, innovative workers. In an atmosphere of high-stakes testing and global competitiveness, educators around the world are examining their teaching methods to determine best practices for producing learning environments that develop and nurture creativity, characterized by divergent thinking, innovative solutions to problems, and fresh, new ideas. In light of their responsibilities to teach an ever-expanding knowledge base, how can school personnel also foster creative thinking in students?Item Defining functional performance in an educational environment(1991-05) Orr, CatherineItem Development of a pediatric goal-centered upper limb spasticity home exercise therapy program for use in a phase-III trial of Abobotulinumtoxina (dysport®)(Taylor & Francis, 2018) Shierk, Angela; Jiménez-Moreno, Cecilia; Roberts, Heather; Ackerman-Laufer, Shirley; Backer, Gretchen; Bard-Pondarre, Rachel; Cekmece, Cigdem; Pyrzanowska, Weronika; Vilain, Claire; Delgado, Mauricio R.Aims: To create a standardized home exercise therapy program that could be implemented by international sites to provide a consistent level of therapeutic intervention for pediatric patients participating in an ongoing Phase-III, randomized, controlled trial of repeat abobotulinumtoxinA injections for pediatric upper limb spasticity (NCT02106351).Item Difference in bilateral upper limb muscle activation during the assisting hand assessement in children affected by unilateral cerebral palsy(The Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society, 2022) Puissegur, Ophelie; Ulman, Sophia; Roberts, Heather; Shierk, Angela; Loewen, Alex; Erdman, Ashley; Tulchin-Francis, KirstenINTRODUCTION Cerebral palsy (CP) refers to a group of childhood-onset disorders that affect an individual’s ability to move and maintain posture due to a brain lesion occurring during in utero development. When the lesion affects motor areas on one side of the brain, an impairment of movement and posture will be manifested on the contralateral side. The most common CP condition is called unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP), leading to challenges with daily activities due to decreased function [1] and use of their affected upper limb. The purpose of this study was to evaluate side-to-side muscle activation differences during the Assisting Hand Assessment (AHA), a performance based assessment that measures how children with upper limb impairments use their involved limb as an assisting hand during bimanual activities [2].Item Does handwriting instruction have a place in the instructional day? The relationship between handwriting quality and academic success(Taylor & Francis, 2017-10-03) McCarroll, Hope; Fletcher, TinaHandwriting is a foundational skill needed by students to demonstrate competency in reading, writing, and math. Occupational therapists who work in schools are tasked with providing remedial services for students who demonstrate deficits in underlying handwriting mechanics, as opposed to deficits in following handwriting conventions. Despite this, therapists frequently find the referred stu- dent has none of the expected mechanical constraints, but instead lacks knowledge of letter, number, and punctuation mark formation. This is often an outcome of not being exposed to explicit handwriting instruction. As a result, the researchers sought to determine whether a relationship exists between academic success in reading, writing, and math and the quality of handwriting by comparing standards-based report card grades in reading, writing, and math to scores from the Handwriting Without Tears Screener of Handwriting Proficiency. Results indicated a significant positive correlation exists between academic success in writing and reading and quality of handwriting. The implications of this research suggest there is a further need to explore whether instructional time should be allocated for handwriting instruction in the classroom, potentially contributing to increased academic success for students.Item Does tele-health training stack up to on-site executive control training for youth and adults with TBI?(International Brain Injury Association and North American Brain Injury Society, 2016) Vas, Asha; Cook, Lori; Keebler, Molly; Chapman, SandraMedical practitioners have long recognized potential contributions that tele-health (also referred to as tele-medicine or tele-practice) can make regarding equitable access of services, especially in rural and remote populations (Scalvini, et al., 2004). Tele-health has become integral to many hospitals to (1) increase patient access to care, (2) enable health care providers to connect with patients, (3) provide consultation, health monitoring, mental health services, education, pharmacological services, and (4) offer counselling. According to American Hospital Association (2015), 52% of hospitals utilized some form of tele-health in 2013, and the number of hospitals and other medical institutions adopting tele-health approaches is expected to increase in the coming years.Item Effect of an occupation-based program for women with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are incarcerated(Slack, 2019-09-23) Stelter, Laurie D.; Evetts, Cynthia L.OBJECTIVE:This study evaluated the effect of an occupation-based program on the occupational performance and participation of incarcerated women with intellectual and developmental disabilities.Item The effect of instructor-produced videos as supplemental material for training visual screening procedures in occupational therapy education(Eastern Kentucky University, 2019) Grieves, Holly; Pickens, Noralyn Davel; Young, Tracy; Smith, Theresa M.The aim of this study was to explore student perceptions of instructor-produced videos to enhance knowledge, self-efficacy, and clinical skill with administering visual screening procedures. The video library, hosted by Vimeo™, consisted of 26 videos, with an average video duration less than 90 seconds. The videos were made available to occupational therapy students as supplemental material. Three focus groups consisting of 23 participants captured students’ perceived value of instructor-produced videos to enrich their learning. Three categories emerged from the data analysis including clinical application, learning preferences, and elements of video production. Students commented on how the videos positively influenced their ability to perform visual screening procedures, confidence with screening procedure administration and reasoning skills when evaluating client performance during visual screens. Students expressed how the videos appealed to their learning style (visual/kinesthetic). Also, they reported how the videos allowed them control over the pace of information delivery, the frequency of content delivery, and the environment in which they viewed the content. Students discussed elements of video production that enhanced their learning including actor characteristics and video use pragmatics.Item Effects of cognitive status on life participation of cancer survivors(Western Michigan University, 2014) Baxter, Mary F.; Smith, Theresa; Wahowski, JenniferThe purposes of this study were to identify the cognitive status of cancer survivors, determine the effect of cognitive status on function and participation in daily activities, and explore how cancer survivors perceive changes in their cognition. The study used a quantitative nonexperimental cross-sectional design. The participants included 35 cancer survivors from two different sites. Instruments included the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Reintegration to Normal Index-Postal Version (RNLI-P) in the measurement of cognitive impairment and functional performance respectively. Data were also collected with a supplemental questionnaire to explore participants’ perspectives on their cognitive difficulties and current function. The participant scores on the MoCA indicated cognitive impairment (µ= 25) and their scores on the RNLI-P demonstrated subpar reintegration (µ=9.64). Twenty-one participants answered the supplemental questionnaire. In content analysis of questionnaire responses, 17/21 participants reported some level of cognitive change related to cancer and cancer treatment. Data from an open-ended question were organized into four categories: decreased participation, more selective in activities, balance in activities, and cognitive changes. Study results indicate a large percentage of cancer survivors demonstrate mild cognitive impairment as well as changes in participation in instrumental activities of daily living.