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1997 Touro College School Of Health Sciences Yearbook, Touro College School Of Health Sciences

Yearbooks and Newsletters

1997 Touro College School of Health Sciences Yearbook

The Recovery Of Matthew, A Success Story, Kathryn M. Loukas

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

In the fall of 1994, 11-year-old Matthew experienced a traumatic brain injury. Two years later, he is a consistent honor roll student. This is the story of how occupational therapy helped Matt heal and move on to life as a regular kid.

Occupation As Spiritual Activity, Brenda S. Howard, Jay R. Howard

Scholarship and Professional Work - LAS

Although spirituality is rarely explicitly mentioned in the occupational therapy literature, it is implied as an interwoven part of the human system. This article explores the meaning of occupation in the context of sociological and Judeo-Christian theological frameworks and the meaning of spirituality in the occupational therapy clinic. A case is made for acknowledging spirituality in clinical reasoning as a centralizing component of the patients' motivation and assignment of meaning to life.

Repetitive Strain Injury: A New Definition And Treatment Strategy Based On The Client-Centered Practice, Lenore Frost, Robyn Stricoff

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

RSI is defined by the authors as a biopsychosocial disorder, under the umbrella of cumulative trauma disorder, involving a non-specific, potentially chronic pain syndrome of the upper exrtremity. Evaluation and treatment will focus on the client-centered practice. Patients are enrolled in an 8-week course of treatment, which focuses on patient involvement, education, relaxation, diaphragmatic breathing, exercise, postural modification, as well as assessing vocational and psychosocial issues.

Addressing Spirituality In Occupational Therapy Treatment, Barbara R. Howe

Masters Theses

Literature review identified confusion in the definitions of spirituality with religion. However, there have been attempts to separate the two definitions by professionals who consider holism an important concept of clinical practice. This · study was designed to identify occupational therapists' definitions of spirituality in clinical practice. Also under investigation was the therapist's assessment and use of spirituality for treatment purposes.

A survey was sent to a random sample of occupational therapists in order to gather data about their spiritual activities, their personal definitions of spirituality and their use of spirituality in evaluation and treatment of clients.

Occupational therapists who …

Moving Occupation Into Treatment: Clinical Interpretation Of "Legitimizing Occupational Therapy's Knowledge"., Janice P. Burke

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

An Inquiry: The Concept And Application Of Empowerment, Pamela Kay Wheelock

Masters Theses

While empowerment is a dominant concern in mental health care, services often reflect the inadequate use of an empowerment-based frame of reference. This study seeks to enlarge the understanding of empowerment so that more effective services can be established.

Using naturalistic inquiry methodology, this study explores the lived experience of empowerment through direct dialogue with both mental health consumer advocates and mental health occupational therapists. Data were collected and evaluated using a hermeneutic dialectic process. A series of three interviews were done with six respondents.

Analysis of the interviews revealed striking contrasts between the therapists' and advocates' perspectives in relation …

Is The Use Of Life History And Narrative In Clinical Practice Reimbursable? Is It Occupational Therapy?, Janice P. Burke, Stephen B. Kern

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

1996 Touro College School Of Health Sciences Yearbook, Touro College School Of Health Sciences

Yearbooks and Newsletters

1996 Touro College School of Health Sciences Yearbook

Rural Elderly People's Attitudes And Perceptions About Home Modifications And Assistive Devices, Christine M. Abbott

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Occupational therapists frequently recommend home modifications and assistive devices to help elderly people remain as safe and independent as possible. Elderly people, however, do not always follow through with such recommendations resulting in unsatisfactory outcomes of occupational therapy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine elderly people's attitudes towards home modifications and assistive devices and to determine what they perceived as the barriers and facilitators to using home modifications and assistive devices. Two focus groups were conducted with elderly people in rural Missouri. The main attitudes were (a) determination; (b) positivism, such as feeling fortunate and encouraged; and …

Induction Into Academia: The Experiences Of New Occupational Therapy Faculty, Catherine R. Acre

Theses and Dissertations

The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) estimates the number of therapists in the nation's occupational therapy workforce at 46,357. Silvergate (1994) estimates a 71% shortage based on the actual vacancies for occupational therapy personnel currently exists. In response to the growing demand for occupational therapists, the number of academic programs in occupational therapy has increased. Currently there are 85 accredited occupational therapy programs and 30 developing programs in the United States. In addition, for every newly available student space in professional-level programs, there were a reported 3.4 applicants. With only five doctoral programs in occupational therapy in the United States, …

Effects Of Rote Exercise, Imagery, And A Material-Based Occupation On Postural Control In Children Ages 3-9, Robin Lengel

Masters Theses

Occupational therapy is based on the concept of enhancing motor, cognitive, sensory, and psycho-social performance through the utilization of purposeful activities. Purposeful activities are doing processes directed toward a planned or hypothesized end result, and can be naturalistic, simulated, or imagery-based (Nelson & Peterson, · 1989). This study compared the effects of a material-based occupation, imagery-based occupation, and rote exercise on the quality and duration of maintaining prone extension in children aged three to nine.· The quality of maintaining the posture was analyzed using the prone extension postural test (Gregory-Flock & Yerxa, 1984). Duration of prone extension for each child …

Computer-Assisted Instruction As A Learning Resource For Applied Anatomy And Kinesiology In The Occupational Therapy Curriculum., Susan Toth-Cohen

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of these studies was to examine the learning outcomes of a computer-assisted instruction (CAI) tutorial in applied anatomy and kinesiology for occupational therapy students and to determine its applicability for use in two university settings.

METHOD: Two separate pilot studies were conducted at two universities. In each study, the learning outcomes of an experimental group of occupational therapy students using a CAI program and a control group using books to study the same material were compared. Learning outcomes were assessed with post-test achievement test scores on an applied anatomy and kinesiology test and responses to an attitude …

Impact Of Spinal Cord Injury On The Life Roles Of Women., M Claire Quigley

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

This qualitative study was conducted to explore and describe the role experience of five women whose lives were disrupted by a traumatic spinal cord injury and who later returned to their communities after completing intensive rehabilitation programs. In-depth interviews and participant observations were used to examine the experiences of these women. The findings exemplify how the women's use of adaptation and negotiation and the development of a new role as self-advocate facilitated the reestablishment of their life roles. As the women's occupational roles were redefined, the processes of adaptation and negotiation were evident in three aspects of their lives: daily …

1995 Touro College School Of Health Sciences Yearbook, Touro College School Of Health Sciences

Yearbooks and Newsletters

1995 Touro College School of Health Sciences Yearbook

Parental Perspectives Of Occupational Therapy Home Instruction Programs For Their Children With Special Needs, Elizabeth Gazzola Brazeau

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

In this changing age of health care it has become even more important to reevaluate the effectiveness and relevance of patient education. Traditionally, patients have been given extensive occupational therapy home instruction programs with little thought to the patient's perspective or ability to comply. Among pediatric occupational therapists there continues to be some debate as to whether it is even beneficial for parents to perform activities at home with their children. The purpose of this study was to use a qualitative research approach with focus group methodology to 1) gain a better understanding of the life experiences and perceptions of …

Women With Physical Disabilities Choosing To Have Children, Alexia Anne Evans

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Society views women with physical disabilities as being incapable of competent parenting. Many of these women do, however, choose to have children. This paper, in addition to describing common producers of disability in child-bearing aged women, explores the literature concerning the role of mother and how women with physical disabilities fulfill that role. Two women with postpolio were interviewed about their experiences in raising children. The interviews showed themes of reaction to discouragement, impact on mobility, and individual method of compensation. Implications for occupational therapy intervention are drawn

Mentorship Experiences In A Group Of Occupational Therapy Leaders., Ruth Levine Schemm, Theodore Bross

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: The development of occupational therapy leaders is a long-held goal of many members of the American Occupational Therapy Association and of state associations. The initiation of mentor programs is a common means to accomplish this goal. These programs take time and effort, and, although occupational therapists have described how mentorship programs work in the literature, there are few articles that describe the actual mentorship experiences of occupational therapy leaders.

METHOD: To study the experiences of elected occupational therapy leaders, a 30-item questionnaire was distributed at the annual meeting of the Committee of State Association Presidents and completed by 53 …

Bridging Conflicting Ideologies: The Origins Of American And British Occupational Therapy., Ruth L. Schemm

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Occupational therapy practice has bridged two contradictory value systems for more than 100 years. This article describes the origins of practice ideas in both the United States and Britain and demonstrates that founding members of the occupational therapy profession all shared a core of humanistic beliefs while embracing the emerging paradigm of scientific medicine. The result has been an intellectual tension between the biological and the psychosocial aspects of practice. For more than 75 years, occupational therapists struggled to balance the art and science of patient care; recent debates on modalities, practice domains, and research priorities indicate that the unifying …

Investigating The Influence Of Pre-Theoretical Assumptions On Clinical Reasoning, Barbara R. Hooper

Masters Theses

This study explored what internal beliefs a therapist holds about the nature of reality and how those beliefs influence how he/she delivers occupational therapy. A single-case study design was utilized. Data were collected from three in-depth interviews and observation of multiple treatment sessions.

The results suggest that this therapist's view of the world could be categorized into four areas: (1) What she believed about ultimate reality; (2) What she believed about life, death and eternity; (3) What she believed about human nature; and (4) What she believed about the nature of knowing. The study also suggests that this core world-view …

1994 Touro College School Of Health Sciences Yearbook, Touro College School Of Health Sciences

Yearbooks and Newsletters

1994 Touro College School of Health Sciences Yearbook

Management Decisions Made By Caregiver Spouses Of Persons With Alzheimer's Disease., Mary A. Corcoran

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVES: As the incidence of Alzheimer's disease increases, so does the effect on families and friends who assume caregiving responsibilities. Despite the proliferation of caregiving studies reported in the literature, little is known of the day-to-day management styles and preferences of caregivers. To develop, implement, and test interventions designed to sustain caregivers in their role, more information is needed about the caregiving experience. Results of a descriptive study are presented as a first step in understanding the complex process of choosing, organizing, and implementing everyday caregiving tasks.

METHOD: Subjects of the study were 26 persons who provide care for a …

Efficacy Of Implementing An Ergonomics Program In An Industrial Setting Regarding Cumulative Trauma Disorders To The Upper Extremity, Christa Abraham, Lisa Evans, Patrick Hoban

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if implementation of an industrial ergonomics program would decrease the number of upper extremity cumulative trauma disorders, lost days of work, and insurance costs. Data was collected from company records and OSHA logs including type of injury, lost days of work, restricted days of work, and insurance costs. This data was then analyzed using regression analysis and descriptive statistics.; The results of this study supported the concept that ergonomic programs may decrease the number of lost days of work. In this study, a number of limitations and weak correlations were found between …

The Effect Of Computer-Assisted Instruction On The Development Of Diagnostic Reasoning Skills Among Occupational Therapy Students, Judith Lynn Freeman

Masters Theses

Diagnostic reasoning is an essential feature of the occupational therapy treatment process. Acquisition of diagnostic reasoning skills is difficult for students, however, because of paradoxical developmental limitations faced during transition from classroom to clinical learning environments. Educators in pre-professional occupational therapy curriculums are searching for educational methods to prepare students for diagnostic reasoning tasks inherent in practice.

This experimental study compared a computer-simulated diagnostic reasoning activity with a more traditional case study reviewing activity in terms of effect on accuracy of problem identification among occupational therapy students. Results found no significant difference between the effect of computer-assisted instruction and case …

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Risk Factors Among Hand Therapists, Suzanne Makielski

Masters Theses

The following study examined the presence of risk factors among hand therapists for developing carpal tunnel syndrome. A review of the literature indicated a significant relationship between the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome and manual workers whose occupational tasks involve repetitive wrist and hand movements. Hand therapists were characterized as manual workers while possessing specialized knowledge and skill in the evaluation and treatment of hand and wrist disorders. Biomechanical analysis of various "hands on" techniques revealed repetitive wrist and hand movements including the use of force and increased risk for injury associated with carpal tunnel syndrome. In order to determine …

Attitudes Of Occupational Therapy Students Toward The Mentally Disabled, Patricia Mccarthy

Masters Theses

Thirty-nine undergraduate occupational therapy and fifty-seven entry-level graduate occupational therapy students from eight randomly selected academic programs were surveyed using the Opinions About Mental Illness Scales ([OMI], Cohen and Struening, 1959) and the Mental Health Information Questionnaire ([MHIQ], Nunnally, 1961). Results revealed that both student groups’ knowledge toward the mentally disabled was more similar to the general public’s knowledge. Using a one-tailed t-test to compare the MHIQ factors revealed there was no statistically significant difference between the occupational therapy student groups.

Both student groups’ OMI factor scores were similar to an expert group for Factors A B, and D; however, …

A Curriculum Based On Systems Theory., Ruth L. Schemm, Mary Corcoran, Ellen Kolodner, Roseann C Schaaf

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

This paper describes an entry-level curriculum based on systems theory that was designed to promote integrated thinking and a shared image of practice among all of the members of an educational community that included students, faculty, and clinicians. Initiated in 1983, the program integrates occupational therapy theory, critical thinking, and knowledge about person-environmental transactions with traditional medical, biological, psychological, and sociological course work to create a unique educational experience. The curriculum model is based on a spiral learning process that encourages integrated thinking. Furthermore, all concepts are systematically tied to the occupation core, the central theme of the program. Fieldwork …

A Model To Promote Activity Competence In Elders., Ruth E. Levine, Laura N. Gitlin

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

This paper describes an occupational therapy home-based intervention in which purposeful activities were used to promote adaptation and competence in older adults with chronic disabilities. Seven home care therapists visited 17 randomly selected, community-living elders who were chronically disabled and who volunteered to participate in the program. The number of visits ranged from 3 to 10 and occurred over a 3-month period according to clients' needs and wishes. Therapists enhanced their ability to enter the client's social and cultural system by using participant-observation techniques and collaboratively identified activities. Therapists documented each home visit with a structured fieldnote form. An analysis …

1993 Touro College School Of Health Sciences Yearbook, Touro College School Of Health Sciences

Yearbooks and Newsletters

1993 Touro College School of Health Sciences Yearbook

Gender Differences In Dementia Management Plans Of Spousal Caregivers: Implications For Occupational Therapy., Mary A. Corcoran

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Occupational therapists treating older people with Alzheimer disease know that they must also consider the others who are affected by the disease, the informal caregivers. Intervention is most effective when it enables both the impaired person and the primary caregiver to manage the secondary symptoms of dementia. Unfortunately, little is understood about how caregivers approach and carry out their tasks and about why male and female caregivers respond differently to their caregiving role in terms of depression, burden, stress, and substance abuse. This paper discusses the effects of gender on dementia management plans of spousal caregivers. Husbands and wives have …