Digital Commons Network^™

Internal Attributes That Mitigate Perceived Job Insecurity: Improving Employee Satisfaction, Shelly Leigh Rogers-Sharer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee satisfaction has been found to have a strong relationship with perceived job security. This study explored job insecurity in an unstable global economy. Specifically, it examined internal attributes of employees, hypothesizing that such attributes would enable employees to better cope with work-related stressors such as job insecurity. Specific attributes of personality and employability were assessed as potential moderators of job satisfaction and security, utilizing the theory of work adjustment and person-environment correspondence as theoretical frameworks. The specific attributes included facets of conscientiousness and neuroticism as well as dispositions of employability including openness to change at work, work and career …

Combination Of Music And Aromatherapy To Improve The Efficiency Of Motor Functions And Speech In Patients Paralyzed From Stroke., Mounica Bevara

UROP Posters

With the rapid development of medical technology, millions of dollars are being spent on discovering innovative methods of treating fatal diseases such as stroke that may also result in temporary paralysis. Physiotherapy treatments aimed at restoring brain function in patients paralyzed following a stroke is subjective to the patient and does not guarantee complete rehabilitation. While many practitioners have attempted to employ complementary and alternative methods of treatment such as massage therapy, acupuncture therapy, siddha, and marma therapy, none of them proved to be equally as effective as physiotherapy. However, prior studies support the notion that aromatherapy used in combination …

A Novel Fmri Paradigm Suggests That Pedaling-Related Brain Activation Is Altered After Stroke, Nutta-On Promjunyakul, Brian D. Schmit, Sheila M. Schindler-Ivens

Physical Therapy Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility of using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure pedaling-related brain activation in individuals with stroke and age-matched controls. We also sought to identify stroke-related changes in brain activation associated with pedaling. Fourteen stroke and 12 control subjects were asked to pedal a custom, MRI-compatible device during fMRI. Subjects also performed lower limb tapping to localize brain regions involved in lower limb movement. All stroke and control subjects were able to pedal while positioned for fMRI. Two control subjects were withdrawn due to claustrophobia, and one control data set was …

Current Capacity Building Needs Of Occupational Therapists Related To Older Driver Screening, Assessment, And Intervention, Ranyouri Hines Senia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Older adult safe driving is a growing public health issue; however, the skill set of occupational therapists that provide services to these older clients is unclear. The extent to which occupational therapists possess the skills to evaluate an elderly person's ability to operate safely an automobile is unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional survey was to determine the current capacity building needs of occupational therapists (OT) related to older driver screening, assessment, and intervention. The ecology of human performance framework was the theoretical base of the study. The independent variables were the OTs' training related to older drivers, …

Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Orthosis Augmented By Either Stretching Or Stretching And Strengthening For Stage Ii Tibialis Posterior Tendon Dysfunction, Jeff Houck, Christopher Neville, Josh Tome, Adolph Flemister

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

Background: The value of strengthening and stretching exercises combined with orthosis treatment in a home-based program has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of augmenting orthosis treatment with either stretching or a combination of stretching and strengthening in participants with stage II tibialis posterior tendon dysfunction (TPTD).

Methods: Participants included 39 patients with stage II TPTD who were recruited from a medical center and then randomly assigned to a strengthening or stretching treatment group. Excluding 3 dropouts, there were 19 participants in the strengthening group and 17 in the stretching group. The stretching …

Functional Performance Deficits Exist In Female Naia Collegiate Athletes With History Of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Jason Brumitt

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

No abstract provided.

The Lower Extreminty Functional Test: Normative And Epidemiological Data In A Collegiate Female Athlete Population, Jason Brumitt, Bryan Heiderscheit, Robert C. Manske, Paul E. Niemuth, A. Mattocks

Faculty Publications - College of Physical Therapy

No abstract provided.

An Evidence-Based Determination Of Whether Effective Leadership Competencies Are Universal And Transferable., John Michael Slade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poor executive leadership of organizations over the last 20 years has resulted in the destruction of stakeholder value, loss of jobs, and in some cases, risk to the entire enterprise. An executive search firm database, encompassing 16,000 leaders from 300 organizations, was analyzed to determine if the commonality and transferability of leadership competences could be used to improve executive assessment. Implicit leadership theory, where leaders are gauged by the individuals that surround them, served as the theoretical foundation. The study also relies on a leadership competency model used by the executive search firm that constructed the database and is based …

Evaluation Of Pediatric Manual Wheelchair Mobility Using Advanced Biomechanical Methods, Brooke A. Slavens, Alyssa J. Schnorenberg, Christine M. Aurit, Adam Graf, Joseph J. Krzak, Kathryn Reiners, Lawrence C. Vogel, Gerald F. Harris

Biomedical Engineering Faculty Research and Publications

There is minimal research of upper extremity joint dynamics during pediatric wheelchair mobility despite the large number of children using manual wheelchairs. Special concern arises with the pediatric population, particularly in regard to the longer duration of wheelchair use, joint integrity, participation and community integration, and transitional care into adulthood. This study seeks to provide evaluation methods for characterizing the biomechanics of wheelchair use by children with spinal cord injury (SCI). Twelve subjects with SCI underwent motion analysis while they propelled their wheelchair at a self-selected speed and propulsion pattern. Upper extremity joint kinematics, forces, and moments were computed using …

A Comparison Of Self-Acceptance Of Disability Between Thai Buddhists And American Christians, Roy K. Chen, Wilaiporn Kotbungkair, Alicia D. Brown

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

Having a disability can significantly change a person’s life in many aspects. Research has shown that people with disabilities collectively have diminished access and fewer opportunities to pursue education, find gainful employment, and engage in intimate relationships. Self-acceptance of disability is, therefore, critical to help build resilience, confidence, and psychological well-being in this population. The purpose of the study was to compare the self-acceptance of disability in international settings, specifically in the context of religions. The sample of the study included 98 Thai Buddhists and 95 American Christians with neuromuscular disorders. Constructs used for the study included demographic characteristics, Hope …

Individuals With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Predictive Factors For Successful Occupational Performance, Mary Culshaw

Theses and Dissertations

As awareness and diagnoses of FASD grow in Canada, there is increased need to support these individuals across their lifespan. One study suggested the prevalence of FASD may be as high as 10 per 1000 births (May & Gossage, 2001). The impact to society is growing as well, since this population requires support across their lifespan due to cognitive and sometimes physical impairments. It was estimated that the annual cost to Canadians was $53 billion (in 2007 dollar value) to support individuals aged 0-53 years (Stade et al., 2009). There is mounting evidence identifying the cognitive and physical impairments that …

On-Field Signs And Symptoms Associated With Recovery Duration After Concussion In High School And College Athletes: A Critically Appraised Topic, Jaebin Shim, Deanna H. Smith, Bonnie Van Lunen

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty Publications

Clinical Scenario: Over the past decade, sport-related concussions have received increased attention due to their frequency and severity over a wide range of athletics. Clinicians have developed return-to-play protocols to better manage concussions in young athletes; however, a standardized process projecting the length of recovery time after concussion has remained an elusive piece of the puzzle. The recovery times associated with such an injury once diagnosed can last anywhere from 1 wk to several months. Risk factors that could lead to protracted recovery times include a history of 1 or multiple concussions and a greater number, severity, and duration of …

The Role Of Cognitve Distortions In Adaptation To Disability And Perceived Quality Of Life In Spinal Cord Injury Survivors, Kerri M. Garruba

PCOM Psychology Dissertations

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a sudden, dramatic insult to the central nervous system that results in instant loss of sensory and/or motor function. In addition to physiological changes, survivors also endure both cognitive and emotional changes that increase susceptibility to depression, anxiety, and suicidality, all of which have been associated with cognitive distortions. This study sought to investigate the influence of cognitive distortions in relation to the ability to adapt to disability and establish a high quality of life among spinal cord injury survivors. Participants were 116 men and women living with spinal cord injury recruited via the …

Promoting Social Interaction Skills To Influence The Transition To Employment For Youth With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Jennifer Susan Lange

Honors Theses and Capstones

Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) affect one in 68 children in the United States and are characterized by deficits in social interaction. Decreased social interaction skills limit youth with ASDs’ ability to obtain and maintain a job. Acquisition of needed social interaction skills must occur during high school years as part of youths’ transition program. The Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative study was to consider ways to facilitate social interaction to influence the transition to employment. The specific aims of the study were to explore strategies currently used to facilitate social skills, identify social skills currently targeted, and identify other …

Intra-Tester Reliability And Concurrent Validity Of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound And Vernier Calipre In Quantifying The Anteroposterior Diameter Of The Common Extensor Origin Of The Forearm And The Radial Nerve: A Cadaveric Study, Valentine Dones Iii, Ian P. Aguinaldo, Svetlana Maris Aycardo, Buena Fe Apepe

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Introduction: The literature reports an increase in anteroposterior diameter of the common extensor origin (CEO) of the extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB) and extensor digitorum communis (EDC) or the radial nerve in painful elbows diagnosed with lateral epicondylalgia (LE) or supinator syndrome. The edge-to-edge measurements of these anatomical structures are quantified using musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS). However, in the current literature, reports on the reliability and validity of MSUS measurements of the CEO (of ECRB and EDC) and the radial nerve are not found. In this study, reliability was measured for three testers in determining the anteroposterior diameter of the CEO …

The Emotions, Coping And Social Support Perceived By Ncaa Division I Athletes During Concussion Recovery: A Qualitative Study, Paige Wells

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Context: Concussed patients require an individualized assessment and treatment plan in order to improve the outcomes associated with their overall recovery. A new model has been created to explain the psychological response to sport concussion injury and rehabilitation process. This model highlights pre-injury and post-injury factors affecting the recovery process including emotions, coping and social support. Understanding the emotional disturbances, coping behaviors and social support available to concussed athletes may provide valuable information for the healthcare team in management and care for the concussed athlete.

Purpose: To identify and describe the emotions, coping mechanisms and social support perceived by Division …

The Therapeutic Contributions Of Somatosensory Feedback During Exercise For Those With Parkinson's Disease, Matthew T. Lasswell

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Previous research has proposed that the somatosensory feedback generated during exercise is a key component in regards to the mechanism underlying the therapeutic effects of exercise on the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). This thesis aimed to further examine the contributions of different forms of somatosensory feedback during exercise in PD in order to understand the mechanism for symptom improvements that certain exercise studies report.

This randomized, controlled exercise study consisted of three treadmill groups, with the RATE and MAGNITUDE groups serving as the experimental conditions, while the CONTROL condition was an active comparator treadmill walking group. The RATE …

Neural Function, Injury, And Stroke Subtype Predict Treatment Gains After Stroke, Erin Burke Quinlan, Lucy Dodakian, Jill See, Alison Mackenzie, Vu Le, Mike Wojnowicz, Babak Shahbaba, Steven C. Cramer

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Objective

This study was undertaken to better understand the high variability in response seen when treating human subjects with restorative therapies poststroke. Preclinical studies suggest that neural function, neural injury, and clinical status each influence treatment gains; therefore, the current study hypothesized that a multivariate approach incorporating these 3 measures would have the greatest predictive value.

Methods

Patients 3 to 6 months poststroke underwent a battery of assessments before receiving 3 weeks of standardized upper extremity robotic therapy. Candidate predictors included measures of brain injury (including to gray and white matter), neural function (cortical function and cortical connectivity), and clinical …

The Clinical Utility Of Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation In Individuals With Huntington’S Disease, Travis Miles Cruickshank

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Background

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder characterised by a progressive loss of cognitive function, motor control and psychiatric features. Individuals also display a variety of systemic features. Progressive neuronal dysfunction and neuronal cell death are thought to underlie the onset and progression of many clinical features of HD.

Despite scientific progress, there is still no cure or disease modifying therapy for HD, and available pharmaceutical agents only provide partial relief of motor and psychiatric features. An emerging body of evidence indicates that lifestyle enrichment may delay the onset and progression of clinical features, and exert favourable effects …

Identifying The Enablers And Barriers To Community Participation Amongst Older Adults, Nicole Papageorgiou

Theses : Honours

The older adult population in Western Australia (WA) has significantly increased over the last decade and continues to grow, highlighting the importance of maintaining their health, wellbeing and independence. This may be achieved by facilitating active ageing, enabling older adults to continue to live meaningful and fulfilling lives, contribute positively to society, and lower the demand on costly health and human services. Conversely, a lack of social engagement and community participation may hinder healthy ageing and lead to social isolation, which is adversely related to the quality of life and health status of older adults. Occupational participation is critical to …

A Comparative Acoustic Examination Of Infant Cries: Children At High Risk Versus Low Risk For Autism Spectrum Disorder Development, Ildiko Eva Bruz

Theses : Honours

Background: Early interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have shown positive gains in children who enter therapy at a young age. However, commencement of early intervention is often hindered by challenges with diagnosis. Due to the complex nature of ASD, the age of detection can range from 2 years old into adulthood. This highlights the need for methods of early detection. Previous research has found infants at risk for ASD to present atypical cry characteristics, possibly as a result from damage to the brainstem. In particular, measures of fundamental frequency appear to be the most sensitive to …

Early Intervention Of Parent-Infant Interactions In Preterm Infants: A Systematic Review, Stacey Osborne

Theses : Honours

Every year approximately 15 million babies are born preterm. These infants are at an increased risk of language, and other developmental delays due to their immature brain development and higher incidence of brain abnormalities. They also have poorer health outcomes in the early stages of life which may go on to hinder successful parent-infant interactions. Successful parent-infant interactions are important for infant developmental outcomes such as language, cognition and behaviour. While interventions targeting the promotion of positive interactions have been found to have positive effects in a number of populations to date, interactions involving preterm infants have not been explored. …

The Effect Of Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation On Brain Structure And Cognition In Huntington's Disease: An Exploratory Study, Travis M. Cruickshank, Jennifer A. Thompson, Juan F. Dominguez D, Alvaro P. Reyes, Mike Bynevelt, Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis, Roger A. Barker, Mel R. Ziman

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: There is a wealth of evidence detailing gray matter degeneration and loss of cognitive function over time in individuals with Huntington's disease (HD). Efforts to attenuate disease-related brain and cognitive changes have been unsuccessful to date. Multidisciplinary rehabilitation, comprising motor and cognitive intervention, has been shown to positively impact on functional capacity, depression, quality of life and some aspects of cognition in individuals with HD. This exploratory study aimed to evaluate, for the first time, whether multidisciplinary rehabilitation can slow further deterioration of disease-related brain changes and related cognitive deficits in individuals with manifest HD. Methods: Fifteen participants who …

Exercise As Medicine For Diabetes: Prescribing Appropriate Activities And Avoiding Potential Pitfalls: Preface, Sheri R. Colberg

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

(First Paragraph) In this issue, I have the pleasure of further reinforcing for you the benefits of engaging in regular exercise, along with the more expansive realm of appropriate physical activities for people with diabetes. Although physical activity is a cornerstone in the management of diabetes, and the health benefits of exercise are widely touted as "medicine" for diabetes, many individuals with this chronic disease fail to become or remain regularly active.

The Effects Of Spinal Manipulative Therapy On Isokinetic Strength And Postactivation Potentiation, Grant D. Sanders

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) is a therapeutic procedure employed by various healthcare practitioners for alleviating acute and chronic musculoskeletal complaints. This form of treatment is also delivered to enhance the performance and augment the rehabilitation of athletes. However, despite research findings alleging the strength-modulating effects of SMT alongside numerous professional athletes’ positive anecdotal claims concerning its results, the physiological processes to explain its effects remain largely unexplained. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to investigate the effects of SMT in a college-aged sample population with two experiments.

The first study examined the effect of SMT targeting the lumbosacral region …

Biomechanical Analysis Of Race Walking Compared To Normal Walking And Running Gait, Jaclyn D. Norberg

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Human locomotion is phenomenon that is extraordinarily complex. It is evident that a complete description of locomotion involves consideration of kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activity of the extremities in all of their various movements. Race walking (RW) is a form of upright locomotion that differs from normal walking and running by its form dictated by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF). Despite the similarities to both normal walking (NW) and running (RU), RW has not been the subject of equally intensive investigations.

This study explores the comprehensive biomechanics of race walking and how it compares to NW and RU. A …

The Effect Of Bmi On Oxygen Saturation At Rest And During Mild Walking, Jerrold S. Petrofsky, Michael S. Laymon, Iman Akef Khowailed, Stacy Fisher, Andrew Mills

College of Health & Human Services (TUN) Publications and Research

Eighty one subjects were examined for the relationship between BMI, body fat, arterial oxygen saturation and arterial PO2 with the subjects at rest and after 5 minutes of walking on a treadmill ergometer at 3 mph at a 3% grade. They had BMIs between 19 and 50. All subjects were free of cardiovascular disease and had normal blood pressure making it safe for them to participate in mild exercise. They were all able to walk for at least 10 minutes without cardiovascular complications and were not taking any medications that altered the autonomic nervous system. The age was between 22 …

Promoting Professional Development For Physical Therapists In Early Intervention, Tricia A. Catalino, Lisa A. Chiarello, Toby Long, Priscilla Weaver

College of Health & Human Services (TUN) Publications and Research

Early intervention (EI) service providers are expected to form cohesive teams to build the capacity of a family to promote their child’s development. Given the differences in personnel preparation across disciplines of service providers, the Early Childhood Personnel Center (ECPC) is creating integrated and comprehensive professional development models for those who provide services for young children with disabilities and their families. To help guide this process it is important to identify inter-disciplinary competencies as well as the unique knowledge and skills that each discipline contributes to the development and implementation of effective intervention plans. This paper describes personnel preparation of …

Effect Of Heat, Cold, And Pressure On The Transverse Carpal Ligament And Median Nerve: A Pilot Study, Michael S. Laymon, Jerrold S. Petrofsky, James M. Mckivigan, Haneul Lee, Jongeun Yim

College of Health & Human Services (TUN) Publications and Research

Background: This study quantified the effects of heat, cold, and pressure on the median nerve and transverse carpal ligament in subjects without carpal tunnel syndrome.

Material/Methods: Subjects were individuals ages 20–50 who had no symptoms of carpal tunnel disease. Imaging ultrasound was used to measure the clearance around the median nerve, transverse ligament elasticity, nerve conduction velocity, thickness of the carpal ligament, and area of the median nerve. Pressure was applied to the carpal ligament to assess the effects of increasing pressure on these structures. On 3 separate days, 10 subjects had ThermaCare heat or cold packs applied, …

Environment: Improving Access And Participation, Tricia A. Catalino, Lori E. Meyer

College of Health & Human Services (TUN) Publications and Research

In this introduction to the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) Recommended Practices, we will briefly explain what we mean by the environment and what it means for young children with disabilities and their families. This will provide a framework for conceptualizing the inter-relatedness of environmental settings and features. We will also define types of environments in which children develop and grow and outline key ideas to consider when implementing the Environment recommended practices. This chapter will use vignettes to illustrate important themes and show examples of how practitioners can best use the Environment recommended practices.