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The Hilltop Review, Vol 12, No 1, Fall 2019

The Hilltop Review

No abstract provided.

Quilting And Sharing: Promoting Lifelong Learning And Service To Others, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Lynne Hall, an occupational therapist, educator, and quilter based in Kalamazoo, MI, provided the cover art for the Winter 2020 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Four Patch Posy” is a 45” x 55” quilt made from cotton. In her 50th year of occupational therapy practice, Lynne’s philosophy is rooted in lifelong learning and service to others. The quilt aesthetic provides Lynne a creative medium to serve in her community. With her person-centered approach, Lynne facilitates human potential in the clients, students, and community members she serves. Success in both occupational therapy practice and quilting require a …

Developing Tailored Program Proposals For Occupational Therapy In Primary Care, Katie Smith, Mackenzie Day, Sherry Muir, Sue Dahl-Popolizio

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Self-Regulation As Key Factor In Protection Against The Harmful Effects Of Adverse Childhood Experiences: Critical Role For Occupational Therapists, Rondalyn Whitney

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Comparing Learning Platform Impact On Low Vision Education For Occupational Therapists, Jaimee D. Perea, William Sit

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This 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 …

Master’S And Doctoral Occupational Therapy Students’ Perceptions Of Research Integration In Their Programs, Jeffrey Sargent, Ashley Wermers, Lauren Russo, Kristin Valdes

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This is a pilot study with the intent of identifying occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) and master’s (MOT) students’ perceptions of research in their coursework. A cross-sectional study was conducted through a survey of OTD and MOT students. The Student Perception of Research Integration Questionnaire (SPRIQ) was emailed to graduate occupational therapy programs in the United States. An unpaired single tailed t-test was used to compare the mean scores between the MOT and OTD student responses for each scale and subscale. Two hundred and twenty-six students filled out the questionnaire. Both the OTD and MOT students had a favorable perception …

A Personal Perspective On Daily Occupations To Counteract Cancer Related Fatigue: A Case Study, Sheila M. Longpre', Katie M. Polo, Mary F. Baxter

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This case study aimed to identify and describe meaningful physical occupations used by a cancer survivor to increase or maintain levels of participation during active chemotherapy and subsequent cancer related fatigue.

Method: A case study approach was used to develop an in-depth description and analysis based on one participant’s experience with breast cancer and associated treatments. A semi-structured interview was conducted. The data were analyzed through description of the case, categories, and themes. It also included categorical aggregation in efforts to seek a collection of instances from the data to explore any issue-relevant meanings.

Results: Following …

Defining Mobile Tech Posture: Prevalence And Position Among Millennials, Nathan Short, Michelle Mays, Alex Cool, Ariana Delay, Ali Lannom, Laryn O'Donnell, Ruth Stuber

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Mobile technologies have revolutionized daily life, significantly impacting ADLs and IADLs, as well as use of the hand and upper extremity. The primary objectives of this study are to (a) provide a formal goniometric description of mobile tech posture and (b) examine the prevalence of this sub-optimal posture among a group of graduate students.

Method: This study used a cross-sectional study design. Comprehensive goniometric measurements of the neck and upper extremity were taken with participants (N = 46) using their mobile devices while texting or using the Internet. Handheld usage data from the iPhone Screen Time …

Mapping Occupational Therapy Practice With Postsecondary Students: A Scoping Review, Karen M. Keptner, Karen Mccarthy

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Legislation supports a role for occupational therapy in postsecondary settings, but this area is not a common practice area and the practice area is not well understood. This scoping review maps current literature of occupational therapists working with students in postsecondary settings in order to inform future research and practice.

Method: After identifying included articles, a narrative description of the quantitative studies along with a concept map were completed. A qualitative thematic analysis of the articles was also conducted.

Results: Twenty-five articles met the inclusion criteria. Quantitative results describe occupational therapy services as both a direct …

Sensory Processing Patterns And Internalizing Behaviors In The Pediatric And Young Adult General Population: A Scoping Review, Kasey Kotsiris, Jennifer Westrick, Lauren Little

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: While research has largely focused on the relationship between sensory processing patterns and internalizing behaviors (e.g., anxiety, depression) in children with autism spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, this relationship is not fully understood among the general population or across development.

Method: This scoping review addressed the following research question: How are sensory processing patterns associated with internalizing behaviors (e.g., anxiety, depression) among children with various conditions as well as typically developing children from birth to 22 years of age?

Results: Since 2005, n = 97 peer-reviewed articles have addressed this topic and were included …

Scoping Review Of Interventions To Promote Social Participation In Adolescents And Young Adults With Neurodisability, Conall O'Rourke, Mark Linden, Gary Bedell

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Social participation, described as taking part in, being involvement and engaged with, and doing or being with others, is an important health outcome. Adolescents and young adults with neurodisability are often restricted in their social participation, particularly if they experience social and executive functioning challenges. A scoping review was conducted to examine interventions aimed at improving social participation in adolescents and young adults with neurodisability characterized by these challenges.

Method: The scoping review included peer-reviewed empirical studies published from 1990 to 2016 that employed psychosocial interventions to improve social participation in young people 13 to 24 years …

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 …

State Of The Journal: 400,000 And Growing, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

College Of Arts And Sciences: January 2020, College Of Arts And Sciences

College of Arts and Sciences news

• Bringing Social Issues to Light
• NSF Awards Two Faculty Members for STEM Advancement Ideas
• A Year of Number 1S at Western
• WMU Professor's Research Paves the Way to Improving Pedestrian Safety Nationwide
• Alumni Spotlight: From Waldo Library to the Library of Congress
• The Fund for Western
• On the Frontlines of Combating Human Trafficking Nationwide
• Geography Professor Recognized for Watershed Hydrology Work

Comic Book Conversations As Pedagogies Of Possibilities In Urban Spaces, Ewa Mcgrail, Gertrude M. Tinker Sachs, Megan Lewis

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

The researchers in this qualitative case study explored the dialogic experiences of elementary school students during Comic Book Club meetings held in their local community resource center. The researchers wanted to know what experiences of dialogism were manifested in children’s conversations about reading, writing, and comic creation and what concepts of dialogism were evident in those experiences. The interview and observation data and artifacts suggest that co-construction of meaning and intertextuality played important roles in the dialogic experiences of the participants. Children’s co-construction of meaning and intertextuality also demonstrated engaged embodiment due to children’s spontaneous enactment of dance and dramatization …

Staff Under New Market Rules: A Case Study Of A Group Home For People With Intellectual Disabilities In Sweden, Sven Trygged

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The Swedish caring services have transformed from a public ­operated to a market inspired contract system. This pilot case study of a group home explores what the shifts of contractor entail for staff concerning work regulation, work content and job satisfaction, personal development, relationships with colleagues, and consequences for service users. Procurement documents were studied and interviews performed with four experienced staff members. Results show that manager turnover, administrative changes, and terms of employment contracts increased conflicts and staff vulnerability. Staff responses are discussed in terms of exit, voice and loyalty.

Daily Labors: Marketing Identity And Bodies On A New York City Street Corner, By Carolyn Pinedo-Turnovsky, Kimberly Hogan

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Carolyn Pinedo-Turnovsky, Daily Labors: Marketing Identity and Bodies on a New York City Street Corner. Temple University Press (2019), 212 pages, $24.42 (softcover).

Parental Practices And Maternal Warmth As Protective Factors For Problem Behaviors In Mexican Preadolescents, Jaime Fuentes-Balderrama, Cinthia Cruz Del Castillo, Jose Ruben Parra-Cardona, Bernardo Turnbull Plaza, Angélica Ojeda García, Rolando Díaz-Loving

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Epidemiological estimates indicate that approximately 12% of children and adolescents in Mexico are in clinical ranges for psychological disorders. Low-income families in need of psychological support generally encounter understaffed and sometimes inefficient public health services and thus, families frequently constitute the primary source of support for individuals affected by mental health disorders. Empirical studies in the Mexican context have demonstrated that positive parental practices are associated with positive developmental outcomes and low levels of problem behaviors for both children and adolescents. This study aims to identify if such practices act as protective factors for problem behaviors in 306 Mexican students …

Moving Beyond Race, Gender, And Education: Exploring The Relationship Between Disability, Depressive Symptoms And Long-Term Financial Outcomes, Mellissa K. Wright, Clifford L. Broman

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Data on poverty status reveals that there is a distinct sub-population of individuals who are at a significantly greater risk of being chronically poor. Although many researchers have examined the demographic characteristics of individuals who are the most likely to be persistently poor, the emphasis has been on race, sex, and education. Little attention has been paid to the role that disability might play in long-term poverty. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to utilize longitudinal Add Health data in order to explore whether or not the presence of a disability might also affect an individual’s likelihood of experiencing …

Review Of Research On Long-Term Care Insurance In Qingdao, China By Mi Hong, Ji Min, And Liu Weiguo, Lingxue Sun

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

Review of Research on Long-Term Care Insurance in Qingdao, China by Mi Hong, Ji Min, and Liu Weiguo, China Labour & Social Security Publishing House (2019).

Young Adult Drinking And Depression: The Long-Term Consequences Of Poverty, Maternal Depression, And Childhood Behavioral Problems, Rachel Mckane, Molly K. Richard

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The objective of this research is to investigate the relationships among childhood poverty, maternal depressive symptoms, internalizing and externalizing childhood behavioral problems, and depressive symptoms and alcohol use in young adulthood. Using longitudinal data from a nationally representative sample and path analysis, a special case of Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), the results indicate that both childhood poverty and maternal depressive symptoms are associated with negative behavioral outcomes in childhood and young adulthood. This study also examines mediating effects of maternal depressive symptoms, and both externalizing and internalizing childhood behavioral problems. The findings indicate that the relationship between childhood poverty and …

Using A Contextual Effects Measurement Approach To Understand The Influence Of Community On Individual Behavior, Bridget E. Weller, Sinaida Cherubin, Shelby D. Leverett, Alexandria Taylor

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

A social organization perspective identifies processes operating in the community that may influence an individual’s behavior. To understand such processes, researchers can apply a contextual effects measurement approach, which is used to assess the influence of group-level effects on lower level outcomes. However, few community studies employ this approach. The purpose of this article is to present and evaluate the merits of the contextual effects measurement approach.

Geological And Environmental Sciences - 2020, Dept. Of Geological And Environmental Sciences

Geological and Environmental Sciences News

• From the Department Chair

• Faculty Updates

• MGS Updates

• MGRRE Updates

• Alumni Notes

• In Remembrance: Dr. Dick Passero

• 2019-2020 Faculty, Staff and Student Accolades

Western Michigan University Magazine, Fall/Winter 2019-2020, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Magazine (1997-present)

• University News
• Finding Common Ground
• WMU-A Place to Become
• Protecting Pedestrians
• A Pioneer of Pride
• Driving Driverless Technology
• Learning and Leading
• Bridging Barriers
• From Heartbreak to Hope
• Expert Insights
• Alumni Profile
• Classnotes
• In Print
• In Memoriam

Western Michigan University Magazine, Fall Winter 2020-2021, Western Michigan University

Western Michigan University Magazine (1997-present)

• Expanding What It Means to Be Smart
• Mogul in The Making
• Purpose-Filled Pursuit
• A Vessel for Justice
• Shedding Light on The Future Of Disinfection
• When It Rains, It Stalls
• Safety First
• So That All May Learn
• Focused on The Future
• University News
• Expert Insights
• Alumni Profile
• Classnotes
• In Memorium

Minutes Of The Faculty Senate Councils, 2020-21, Wmu Faculty Senate

Minutes of the WMU Faculty Senate Councils

No abstract provided.

Faculty Senate Yearbook, 2020-21, Wmu Faculty Senate

WMU Faculty Senate Yearbooks

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Neighborhood: Defining Membership In Diverse Community Contexts, Brad Forenza, Brian Dashew, Diana Cedeño, David T. Lardier

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

The purpose of this research is to form an overarching definition of community membership that encompasses all community contexts. Utilizing qualitative interviews with 102 members of five known community contexts (communities of action, circumstance, interest, place, and practice), the authors use cross-case analysis to explore common, transcendent themes of membership. Three takeaways emerge: first, that individuals identify with communities to address personal needs but come to see social benefits; second, that individuals join communities to deepen existing relationships, but develop new ones; and third, that through engagement, individuals strengthen a sense of self that is unique to community context. Through …

Learning To Teach Reading Responsively Through Tutoring, Jodi Nickel, Scott Frederick Hughes

Reading Horizons: A Journal of Literacy and Language Arts

This article describes a community service learning collaboration between a teacher education program and a nonprofit literacy society. Seventeen teacher candidates (TCs) tutored young readers weekly for seven months as part of their course-related field experience and completed reflective assignments analyzing their own learning and the learning of their tutees. The study demonstrates how the tutoring experience enhanced the pedagogical competence of TCs (kid-watching, assessment, instruction, responsiveness, professional conversations, and affirmation of impact). These findings align with contemporary research in literacy teacher preparation, which identifies that the combination of coursework and tutoring is effective in promoting the integration of TC …

Physical Activity In Two Low-Income Detroit Neighborhoods: Disentangling Human Agency From Social Structure, Daniel J. Rose

The Journal of Sociology & Social Welfare

This article explores strategies developed by African American residents in response to barriers to physical activity in two low-income Detroit neighborhoods. Using 47 in-depth, qualitative interviews, a grounded theory approach allowed the analysis to be reframed around the ways in which structural factors conditioned, but did not determine the human agency of residents seeking physical activity. Interviews revealed numerous responses to structural barriers such as devising home routines, cognitive mapping to avoid perceived threats, and leaving the neighborhood to access resources. Differences in neighborhood contexts, along with unique individual concerns, showed that agency was neither a constant nor independent force, …