Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Osces’ Impact On Occupational Therapy Student Learning: Insights From Second- And Third-Year Focus Groups, Craig R. St. Jean, Karin Werther, Mary R. Roberts

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) are widely used in health programs to assess clinical skills. We present results of a qualitative study investigating occupational therapy students’ perceptions of OSCEs’ impact on their learning and readiness for clinical practice.

Method: Six second and six third year students in the University of Alberta’s Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program were interviewed in separate focus groups. Independent reviewers applied thematic analysis to the focus group transcripts to identify, analyze, and report themes in the data.

Results: Five themes were constructed from the data: from learning to action, transition …

Examining Minimal Important Change Of The Self-Assessment Scale Of Clinical Reasoning In Occupational Therapy, Sho Maruyama, Reiko Miyamoto, Satoru Amano, Takuto Nakamura, Peter Bontje

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The purpose of the study was to establish and quantify the minimal important change (MIC) value necessary to determine gains or losses in clinical reasoning during student fieldwork assignments as measured by the Self-Assessment of Clinical Reasoning in Occupational Therapy (SA-CROT). This multicenter prospective longitudinal study was conducted with students on their occupational therapy fieldwork in Japan. Two anchor-based methods were used to estimate the MIC values: a receiver operating characteristic-based method and a predictive modeling-based method. The MIC was adjusted based on the percentage of participants who exhibited improvement. Administered were the SA-CROT and the Global Rating of Change …

Letter To The Editor: Re: Burke, Bundy, & Lane (2023) Article “If Reasoning, Reflection, And Evidence-Based Practice Are Essential To Practice, We Must Define Them”, Angela Benfield, Mark V. Johnston

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this letter to the editor is to suggest using modern test theory to support developing empirical definitions of these complex terms.

Predictors Of Daily Activity Performance Of Children With Autism And Its Association To Autism Characteristics, Neta Katz Zetler, Eynat Gal, Batya Engel Yeger

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The daily activity performance of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a central focus of occupational therapists. Yet, the existing performance-based assessments of basic and instrumental daily activities in children are limited and their application on children with ASD is scarce. The purpose of this study is to examine if daily activity performance of children with ASD is impaired as compared to children with typical development (TD), and to examine possible predictors of daily activity performance in children with ASD.

Method: The participants included 39 children with ASD and 40 children with TD, 6–10 years of …

Assessment And Diagnostic Practices Relating To Autism Spectrum Disorder In The United States And Mexico, Maria Valdez, Jessica R. Stewart, Wan-Lin Chang, Ruth Crutchfield, Ralph Carlson

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The present study examined and compared professional assessment and diagnostic practices relating to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Mexico and the United States (U.S.). This information is of great importance because there is an extremely limited amount of information pertaining the assessment and diagnostic practices for ASD in Mexico and little is known about how these practices compare to those in the U.S. Methods: Archival data from a survey investigating ASD in the U.S. and Mexico was used for this study. Participants included 29 professionals from the U.S. and 7 professionals from Mexico. Professionals were from a variety of …

Home Use Of An Upper Extremity Exoskeleton In Children With Sma: A Pilot Study, Tracy M. Shank, Tariq Rahman

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: People with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) often have arm weakness resulting in restricted independence and challenges with activities of daily living. An upper extremity (UE) orthosis, the Wilmington Robotic Exoskeleton (WREX), which augments arm movement by providing gravity assistance, was provided to a small cohort of subjects for 1 year. Resulting changes in the subjects’ performance were assessed.

Method: Five subjects with SMA were asked to use the WREX system for 1 year. Data were collected at baseline and at 6-month intervals. Evaluation tools used were UE range of motion (ROM), the Box and Block Test, the …

Exploring Associations Between Health Literacy And Visual Impairment In Older Adults With Age-Related Macular Degeneration (Amd), Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss for Americans 65 years of age and older. Central vision loss makes reading challenging. Health literacy assessments that measure skills in basic literacy are often too demanding for people with AMD. The impact of central vision loss on functional health literacy has yet to be explored in the literature.

Methods: A between-subjects study design was employed to explore associations between functional health literacy and visual acuity in older adults with AMD. The Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) was used to measure health …

Development Of The Occupational Performance Inventory Of Sexuality And Intimacy (Opisi): Phase One, Beth Ann Walker, Kasey Otte, Kelsey Lemond, Pamela Hess, Kandyse Kaizer, Tori Faulkner, Davis Christy

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The occupational therapy profession needs a framework to guide understanding of the occupational nature of sexuality and intimacy, assessment, intervention design, and measurement of outcomes. This study aimed to define the occupational nature of sexuality and intimacy and develop a theoretical and occupation-based screen, in-depth self-assessment, and performance measure.

Method: The Occupational Performance Inventory of Sexuality and Intimacy (OPISI) was developed following DeVellis’s (2017) guidelines for scale development that involved mapping the construct, generating an item pool, determining the format for measurement, and reviewing the initial item pool.

Results: The Occupational Therapy Sexual Assessment Framework (OTSAF) was developed to …

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: Linking Motor And Process Skills, Sensory Patterns, And Psychiatric Symptoms, Lola Halperin, Janet Falk-Kessler

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Consistent evidence suggests sensory abnormalities and skill deficits in people with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (SSD). Further exploration of their sensory patterns and performance skills is warranted to promote community participation among these individuals.

Method: This study examined sensory patterns and motor and process skills in relationship to psychiatric symptoms in adult patients with SSD. Participants were evaluated using the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile, the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills, and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale.

Results: Of the 18 participants, the majority showed sensory differences, deficits in motor and process skills, and the presence of moderate …

Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceptions Of Osce: A Qualitative Descriptive Analysis, Nancy E. Krusen, M. Nicole Martino

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) are commonly used across health professions educational programs to evaluate student clinical competencies. OSCE are multiple, brief stations representing common practice scenarios. The purpose of the study was to evaluate student perceptions of OSCE. The researchers implemented 17 OSCE stations with 40 second year occupational therapy students to assess clinical competencies prior to fieldwork. Applying a qualitative descriptive methodologic approach, researchers analyzed station rating data, Qualtrics survey Likert-type items, and Qualtrics survey open-ended responses. Number of station rating responses varied widely, due to perceived time press. Station rating responses confirmed the more robust 80% response …

Exploration Of Self-Perceived Leadership Practices Of Entry-Level Doctoral Students During The Doctoral Capstone Experience, Tracey E. Recigno, Sara Benham, Adele Breen-Franklin

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

There is limited literature reporting the methodology of leadership advancement in entry-level Doctoral-Degree-Level Educational Programs through the Capstone Experience. The purpose of this study was to explore if self-perceived leadership practices increase after the Capstone Experience utilizing a one group, pretest-posttest design. Sixteen students completed the Student Leadership Practices Inventory (SLPI) from pretest to posttest. Self-perceived leadership practices of the fourth-year cohort of doctoral students increased significantly, t (15) = 5.42, p= 0.00007, with a large effect size (d= 1.355). Students enrolled in the community-based track were 31.25% of the sample, compared to 68.75% enrolled in the …

Handwriting Performance Of Typical Second-Grade Students As Measured By The Evaluation Tool Of Children's Handwriting - Manuscript And Teacher Perceptions Of Legibility, Diane M. Long, James Conklin

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The purpose of the study was to describe scores achieved by typical second-grade students on the Evaluation Tool of Children’s Handwriting – Manuscript and to compare scores with teacher perceptions.

Method: As part of a larger study, the ETCH-M was administered to 74 second-grade students. Teachers scored classroom samples of handwriting assignments using a researcher-developed scale and scores were compared to ETCH-M scores to determine cutoff values for good versus poor handwriting.

Results: Mean scores for total word legibility, total letter legibility, and total numeral legibility were 88.82%, 84.30%, and 89.26%, respectively. Cutoff scores below 82% …

A Scoping Review Of Self-Awareness Instruments For Acquired Brain Injury, Danielle Mahoney, Sharon A. Gutman, Glen Gillen

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Self-awareness and insight are critical functions required to maintain safe and optimal participation in all daily life activities in a variety of environmental contexts. In the past two decades, occupational therapists have developed several psychometrically sound assessments designed to identify self-awareness and insight deficits in patients with neurological disorders. This scoping review identifies and evaluates key properties of such assessments to inform clinical practice.

Method: Multiple electronic databases were searched using the key search terms of “self-awareness” and “self-awareness assessment,” and “insight” and “insight assessment.” Included studies were original primary sources from the peer-reviewed journals.

Results: …

Design Of An Osce To Assess Clinical Competence Of Occupational Therapy Students, Nancy E. Krusen, Debra Rollins

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) are a series of controlled, timed stations in which students demonstrate clinical skills. OSCEs are commonly used within health professions education to demonstrate competence, prepare for clinical education, and conduct program evaluation. The body of literature addressing the use of OSCEs in occupational therapy (OT) is growing; however, there are no available guidelines for developing an OSCE specific to the profession. The purpose of this paper is to describe the design of an OSCE for OT students prior to fieldwork placement. Twelve OT practitioners participated in a modified-Delphi method to generate possible OSCE scenarios. The …

Perceptions Of Assessment In Norwegian Occupational Therapy Students, Tore Bonsaksen, Astrid Gramstad, Gry Mørk, Susanne G. Johnson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

In addition to securing minimum standards of learning among students, assessment is increasingly used as a tool to improve students’ learning. Assessment quality is measured as part of the Course Experience Questionnaire; however, the original ‘appropriate assessment’ scale has demonstrated ambiguous psychometric properties. The current study aimed to gain knowledge about occupational therapy students’ perceptions of assessment, and this was achieved by examining the factor structure and internal consistency of the six items on the ‘appropriate assessment’ scale. Students from six Norwegian universities (n = 187, response rate 61.3 %) completed the scale and reported demographic information. The factor …

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Programs’ Emphasis On Play: A Survey, Anita W. Mitchell, Jennifer Hale, Meg Lawrence, Erwin Murillo, Katie Newman, Hannah Smith

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Play is a key occupation for children. Despite this, research suggests that pediatric occupational therapists primarily use play as a modality rather than addressing it as an outcome. Lack of education related to play has been identified as a factor contributing to the limited use of play in intervention; therefore, this study examined entry-level occupational therapy programs’ emphasis on play in their curricula. Faculty from entry-level occupational therapy programs in all regions of the U.S. responded to a validated survey. The majority (82%, n = 33) reported meeting Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards related to play, notwithstanding …

Development Of The Daily Living Questionnaire (Dlq): A Factor Analysis Study, Sara Rosenblum, Naomi Josman, Joan Toglia

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Performance of daily activities and participation in life events involves higher-level cognitive abilities. The purpose of this study was to develop a self-report scale for detecting everyday difficulties in activities/participation tied with higher-level cognitive deficiency and to examine its reliability and validity.

Method: The Daily Living Questionnaire’s (DLQ) content and face validity were established. Internal consistency following an exploratory factor analysis, as well as construct validity, were initiated with a convenience sample of 194 healthy adults, aged 18 to 85 years, and 34 adults diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Results: The four factors received in Part A, activities and …

The Use Of Personal Projects Analysis To Enhance Occupational Therapy Goal Identification, Mary Egan, Lori Scott-Lowery, Cynthia De Serres Larose, Liane Gallant, Chantal Canada Jaillet

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Client-centered occupational therapy begins with the identification of personally-relevant patient goals. This study aimed to determine whether the elicitation module of Personal Projects Analysis (PPA) could help patients in an acquired brain injury day hospital program identify more meaningful goals than those identified using the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) alone.

Method: Ten patients completed the COPM. They rated the importance of each goal and their confidence that they could attain each goal. During the next session, using the elicitation module of PPA, they identified personal projects just prior to their brain injuries, current personal projects, and future desired …

Framing Ecological Validity In Occupational Therapy Practice, Patricia A. Crist

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

He Said—He Said: A Scholarly Conversation About Assessment, Glen Gillen, Jim Hinojosa

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Exploring Content Validity Of Shore Handwriting Screening And Newly Developed Score Sheet With Pre-Kindergarten Students, Denise K. Donica, Erin Francsis

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Limited tools exist to measure handwriting readiness skills of pre-kindergarten students. This study was a preliminary exploration of content validity of the Shore Handwriting Screening (SHS) and the newly developed Score Sheet with the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency, Second Edition (BOT-2) in 4- and 5-year-old pre-kindergarten students. Because socioeconomic status (SES) is known to impact handwriting skills, data from two different socioeconomic groups were collected.

Method: Students from a Lower SES group (n = 36) and a Higher SES group (n = 14) completed the SHS and fine motor composite of the BOT-2. Pearson’s correlation was used to …

Exploring The Role And Scope Of Clinical Assessment In Occupational Therapy, Ann M. Chapleau

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Establishing Normative Values For The Barnett Balance Assessment Tool: A Preliminary Study, Monica L. Cercone, Katherine M. Grulke-Kidd, Alora S. Haskin, Kyle M. Medearis, Clarissa J. Wegner, Ellen Herlache-Pretzer

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this study was to establish normative data for the Barnett Balance Assessment (BBA) for individuals ages 18-70+ years. The BBA is a newly developed assessment tool that may address limitations present in other assessments currently used to detect balance deficits. The BBA was administered to 141 participants who had no history of medical issues that could impact balance. A review of the normative data collected indicated little variation in total assessment scores in the age categories of 18-29, 30-39, and 40-49, due to the presence of a ceiling effect. Variations existed in scores among participants in the …