Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Development Of A Needs Assessment For Youth Violence Prevention Programs In A Large Midwestern City, Laura Lynn Savel

Masters Theses

This research project was designed to examine the relationship between the needs for violence prevention programs and the qualities of occupational therapists. A needs assessment relevant to violence prevention program could not be located. One was therefore created based on the literature available as well as professional input. A pilot study was conducted, revisions were made and the needs assessment was distributed when approval was granted. The assessment was distributed to elementary, middle and high school principals, assistant principals, occupational therapists, guidance counselors/psychologists, and support staff from two western Michigan school systems. A model program was created based on the …

Long-Arm Splinting For Lateral Epicondylitis: A Case Study, Crystal Wolters

Masters Theses

Lateral epicondylitis is a debilitating condition that has a significantly negative effect on the occupational lives of many people. There appears to be no recognized ideal treatment method for the condition. Long-arm splinting for lateral epicondylitis has not been addressed in the literature. A case study was used to thoroughly describe one participant’s experience with long-arm splinting to treat her lateral epicondylitis. She was interviewed, observed, and measurements were taken of her affected arm’s range of motion and strength. The seven themes which were identified through these methods include a description of how her lateral epicondylitis developed, her description of …

Entry Level Therapists’ Perceived Readiness To Prescribe Low-Technology Adaptive Equipment To Geriatric Populations, Russell Wood

Masters Theses

In this research entry-level therapists' were questioned about their readiness to prescribe low-technology adaptive equipment to geriatric populations. The analysis of 33 returned questionnaires have been discussed, with the overall results indicating that experience, familiarity, and education of specific equipment are all significantly related to the confidence levels of entry-level therapists in prescribing those equipment.

Additionally, the results of specific analysis for the groups of equipment, namely dressing, bathing and toileting were entertained. Open ended questions regarding equipment usage, follow up and trends are also discussed. Finally prediction equations are shared resulting from statistical analysis.

Efficacy Of Therapeutic Listening Intervention On Auditory Processing/Attention In Children Ages 3-11, Casey James Pawell

Masters Theses

A study was conducted to determine the effect Therapeutic Listening® intervention has on auditory attention in children when used in conjunction with sensory integration therapy. Single subject experimentation took place with three participants over a ten week period of time. Pre-test and post-test results on standardized tests were compared as well as graphical representation of change during the intervention phase of this study to determine effect. Positive intervention results were concluded when graphical and test changes were compared. Therapeutic Listening® has noted positive change in auditory attention and completion of verbal tasks in children between the ages of 3 and …

Low Back Pain In Police Officers, Jennifer Gwyn Arts

Masters Theses

Low back pain (LBP) is something that police officers deal with on a daily basis. The purpose of this research was to explore whether police officers have a higher incidence of LBP than the general population and to explore what factors officers believe contribute to the LBP they experience. Surveys were made available to all police departments in Kent County and all sworn officers were asked to participate. The difference between LBP experienced by police officers (60.2%) and that experienced by the general population (60-90%) was not found to be significant. The top two answers given by officers as to …

The Effectiveness Of Aquatic Therapy With Persons Who Have Experienced A Cerebral Vascular Accident, Heather L. Tweedie

Masters Theses

This study examined the effectiveness of using aquatic therapy (AT) as a technique in the treatment of cerebral vascular accidents (CVA). The unique properties of the aquatic environment were manipulated to determine change in range of motion, muscle tone, balance, functional ambulation, and psychological functioning particularly social relationship and positive and negative feelings.

A single subject design was conducted using two subjects that participated in a twelve week aquatic therapy program. Aquatic therapy showed to be effective in treating common symptoms of a CVA. More research needs to be completed to ensure the effectiveness of aquatic therapy in congruency with …

Caregivers’ Perceptions Of Accessibility And Quality Of Services In The Community For Children With Mental Health Diagnoses: A Pilot Survey, Karin E. Brems

Masters Theses

This pilot study was intended to explore caregivers' perceptions of the mental health services available in the community for children with mental health diagnoses. A study-specific survey was developed to look at demographic characteristics, service accessibility, and service quality. This survey was distributed to caregivers through Michigan support groups. Returned surveys were analyzed for themes that could assist in the development of further research to improve community services for children with mental health diagnoses.

This pilot study yielded rich qualitative data. Upon review and analysis, five themes emerged: (1) bureaucratic hassles and getting the runaround, (2) closed doors, (3) support …

Phonological Process Use In The Speech Of Children Fitted With Cochlear Implants, Rhonda Gale Parker

Masters Theses

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the use of both developmental and non-developmental phonological processes in a group of young children using cochlear implants.

Participants: 6 preschool children with severe to profound binaural hearing loss with cochlear implants

Method: 15-25 minute conversational speech samples from six children were collected at three-month intervals over a period of 12-21 months for a prior study. These samples were then transcribed and analyzed using Natural Phonological Analysis (NPA) and a data collection form created solely for the purpose of this study.

Data Analysis: Pearson correlations were used to determine relationships among …

The Effects Of Brain Gym® Activities On Second-Grade Students' Academic Performance And Handwriting Skills, Kristen Keinath

Masters Theses

Objective: The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the effects of Brain Gym® activities on second-grand students' academic performance and handwriting skills.

Method: Results were obtained by administering the Test of Handwriting Skills (THS) to two classrooms in a Northern Michigan Elementary School and having both teachers complete a self-developed Academic Performance Form on each student participating in the study. The data from was analyzed using a t-test for the THS and mean scores for the self-developed Academic Performance Form.

Results: Findings suggest a significant difference (p < .05) in the number of letters produced in 20 seconds and spacing of letters. Non-standardized testing showed a decrease in attention to task scores between pre- and post-testing.

Conclusion: Brain Gym® activities were shown to positively effect handwriting …

Survey Of Current Occupational Therapist Practice In The Emerging Field Of Home Modification And Barrier Free Design, Christian Michael Petrovich

Masters Theses

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a national survey of occupational therapists to ascertain what current trends are taking place in the field of home modification and barrier-free design and to examine how occupational therapists view their role in the practice of home modification and barrier free design.

METHODS

A 16-question survey was developed and included two hundred and fifty US licensed and or registered occupational therapists randomly selected from the AOTA membership listing.

CONCLUSIONS

The role of occupational therapy in the emerging practice of home modification and barrier -free design is regarded as important by occupational therapists in the United States. Many …

A Closer Look At Development Of Self-Awareness And Compensatory Strategy Use In Adults With Traumatic Brain Injury, Melissa A. Byrne

Masters Theses

My study investigates the development of self-awareness and use of compensatory strategies in eight adults with traumatic brain injuries using the Awareness Questionnaire (AQ) and three additional questions of descriptive nature. This study also examines whether or not the severity of brain injury (mild, moderate, severe) impacts the development of self-awareness. In addition, the spouses' perceptions of client awareness are compared to the relatives' to determine existence of potential variance.

Results indicate that while there is no significant difference in self-awareness_ between the mild and moderate groups, the severe group significantly varies from both the mild and moderate groups. Also, …

The Effectiveness Of Personal Data Assistants In Improving Daily Function Of Adults With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, Connie Lee Budiwarman

Masters Theses

This study evaluated the effectiveness of using Personal Data Assistants to help with memory and/or organizational difficulties with adult patients who had survived mild Traumatic Brain Injury. Utilizing an AB single subject design method with a training period, one subject ultimately completed the study. The study demonstrated mixed results. Through the use of daily record sheets, the subject reported improvement in three areas of daily function but reported negative improvement in three areas of daily function. This study suggests, but does not completely support, the potential use of Personal Data Assistants with patients with Traumatic Brain Injury.

Visual-Motor Integration Skills Impact On Handwriting, Amber M. Kapnick

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate if a visual-motor integration intervention improved handwriting legibility and visual-motor integration in first grade students as measured by the Minnesota Handwriting Test (MHT) and the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (VMI). Intervention was based on sensory-motor learning theories. Sixty-six children from four first grade classrooms in a suburban elementary school were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control condition. The intervention group received eight weeks of visual-motor integration training twice a week for 30 minute sessions. The control group received regular academic instruction. All children were tested on the Minnesota Handwriting …

The Understanding And Utilization Of Occupational Therapy Services By Medical Doctors In Acute Hospital Settings, Naina Jamani

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine what medical doctors working in the Canadian healthcare system know about occupational therapy, and if this understanding of occupational therapy is deemed valuable by the rate of referrals generated by these practitioners. This study will examine the relationship between physician's knowledge level and referrals to occupational therapy. The study instrument was a survey that consisted of eight questions, seven multiple choice and one open-ended response. The study took approximately five minutes to complete. A total of forty surveys were distributed at three different acute hospital settings. A total of fourteen or thirty-five …

Occupational Therapy Job Satisfaction In The Geriatric Setting, Dawn Doctor

Masters Theses

This study examined the level of job satisfaction among occupational therapists working in the geriatric setting in the state of Michigan. The purpose of this study was to determine if burnout exists among occupational therapists working in a geriatric setting. Questionnaires from 29 therapists who work in a·geriatric setting were analyzed. The majority of the respondents reveled they are not burned out, but do report at least one sign of stress within their job. The most common forms of stress were treating difficult diagnoses, excessive paperwork, excessive caseload, increased productivity expectations, the lack of respect for occupational therapy, and the …

Understanding Occupational Therapy: Medical Doctors And Doctors Of Osteopath’S Knowledge About Occupational Therapy In An Acute Care Hospital, Shereen A. Metwalli

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to discover whether medical doctors (MD) and doctors of osteopath (DO) at two large hospitals in the Midwest have adequate knowledge about the roles and functions of occupational therapy, its services and benefits to patients and its implications on interdisciplinary team success. Increasing the knowledge in these three areas could influence occupational therapy referral rates and, as a result, impact the quality of patient care. This study used a descriptive survey to collect data from 55 physicians. Respondents acquired their knowledge of occupational therapy through secondary sources within informal sources of information. A statistically …

Investigation Of Parental/Caregiver Concerns Of Children With Spasticity, Lynda Johnson-Cross

Masters Theses

Although there is capacious documentation on the concerns associated with parenting/care giving the disabled child, the concerns of parents/caregiver of children with the specific condition of spasticity is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to begin to determine the concerns of parents/caregivers of children with spasticity as they specifically relate to care giving. An extensive qualitative based survey interview was utilized to gather information from three informants. Analysis revealed clusters of concerns in the Nature of Caregiving, Spasticity Encounters, and Parental/Caregiver Comments.

Response To Craniosacral Therapy In An Infant With Plagiocephaly, Amy Taylor Johnson

Masters Theses

Objective

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of utilizing craniosacral therapy (CST) techniques to influence head symmetry and motor skill development of an infant with plagiocephaly. The study is an ex post facto single case study, analyzing the results of data from previously conducted intervention utilizing a craniosacral therapy approach.

Method

The infant in this case study received gentle hands on treatment using the cranium and sacrum to influence the membrane system that encloses the cerebrospinal fluid. Developmental positioning, myofascial release, and sensorimotor techniques were incorporated. The student investigator treated the infant 8 times over a …

Bridging Oceans: An Occupational Therapist's Journey Toward Client-Centeredness, Anna Liedberg Miron

Masters Theses

This study blends an autobiographical approach with a person's own narrative about her recovery experience to create an analytic framework for exploring how narratives of clients and practitioners can be used to inform occupational therapy practice. Beth and I shared 12 hours of audio-taped conversations about her recovery/rehabilitation experience one year after she had experienced a stroke. Beth was intimately involved in the process of editing her story during the research process. Narrative analysis that takes into account the flow of time was used in addition to identification of key stories that Beth felt were important in her recovery-process. Congruence …

Effect Of Proprioceptive Input Combined With “Handwriting Without Tears” On The Handwriting Of Children With Learning Disabilities, Jodie M. Guy

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of"Handwriting Without Tears" on students' handwriting, and to explore if providing proprioceptive input before implementing "Handwriting Without Tears" has an effect on the legibility and accuracy of handwriting. Three first-grade and three second-grade students who received direct occupational therapy services were divided into two treatment groups. Those students in treatment group A received a combination of proprioceptive input and the "Handwriting Without Tears" program during their treatment session. Those students in treatment group B received only the "Handwriting Without Tears" program. Each student completed the Minnesota Handwriting Test (MHT) before …

Evaluation Of The Systems Theory Based Interdisciplinary Patient Safety Practice Guideline On Restraint Reduction And Fall Prevention, Steven D. Eberth

Masters Theses

Patient safety remains one of the most profoundly complex and important issues in healthcare systems especially regarding the use of restraint and the prevention of falls. Current topic guidelines suggest a "systems approach." These guidelines, however, oriented toward solution application using analytical problem-based approach. The development of this practice guideline was in response to a desire for theory-based practice that could guide outcomes. This practice guideline transforms systems theory into a guide for use by a leader/manager and a tool for the practitioner to rethink patient safety in a more holistic manner. This study was conducted in critical care, older …

The Influence Of Occupational Therapists' Worldview On Clinical Reasoning And Action: A Qualitative Study, Matthew P. Mekkes

Masters Theses

This qualitative study examines the influence of occupational therapists’ worldview on clinical reasoning and action. Recent clinical reasoning research has determined that this complex and multi-faceted process is more than applied theory. Some scholars in occupational therapy have identified intrapersonal factors as influencing clinical reasoning. However, the nature and role of the intrapersonal factors in clinical reasoning remains unclear. To increase understanding of this phenomenon, semi-structured interviews were conducted with expert therapists. Results suggest that a therapist’s worldview, specifically related to beliefs about human nature does affect the way they envision and enact the occupational therapy process. This influence is …

The Development Of Occupational Therapy In Kenya, Mindy C. Owens

Masters Theses

Occupational therapy is a profession that is growing throughout the world. Kenya is one country in which occupational therapy is fairly well established. The purpose of this study was to document how occupational therapy has evolved over recent years. A major focus of this study was to identify the educational levels of occupational therapists in Kenya, types of practice settings, prominent diagnoses of patients treated, utilization of rehabilitation services, current trends and practice in occupational therapy, and acquisition, use, and maintenance of adaptive equipment.

The Development of Occupational Therapy in Kenya survey was sent to 28 practicing occupational therapists in …

The Incidence Of Caregiver Reported Sensory Processing Disorders In Children Who Are Experiencing Traumatic Stress Reaction, Ann K. Viviano

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research project was to determine whether children who are experiencing traumatic stress reaction to childhood neglect· or abuse demonstrate sensory processing disorders. It was hypothesized that since neurodevelopment has been disrupted in children who have been exposed to trauma or neglect, sensory processing abilities may also be disrupted.

The Sensory Profile, a judgment-based caregiver questionnaire, provides a standard method to measure a child's sensory processing abilities and to profile the effect of sensory processing on a child's functional performance. A convenience sample of 25 children, with documented traumatic stress reaction due to abuse and/or neglect, …

Physical Therapists' Perceptions Concerning The Determination Of Fibromyalgia Interventions: A Qualitative Study, Elizabeth Jayne Levengood

Masters Theses

This qualitative explored some of the concepts under which physical therapists in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area operate when treating patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. Four physical therapists with at least two years’ experience working in local pain clinics were interviewed. The data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed into themes. Seven categories of physical therapists’ perceptions concerning the determination of interventions were developed: (a) Factors affecting decision-making, (b) physical therapeutic interventions, (c) decision-making in the absence of intervention guidelines, (d) judgments of effectiveness according to clinical findings, (e) judgments of effectiveness through consultation, (f) perceptions of intervention decisions, and (g) perceptions …

Three Dimensional Gait Analysis Following The Adeli Treatment For Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report, Troy Lase

Masters Theses

This case report describes the use of three-dimensional gait analysis to identify kinematic changes following the Adeli suit treatment. The suit's original design was to decrease the effects of weightlessness in space but has been modified to become the primary modality for the Adeli treatment used to treat cerebral palsy. Data were quantitatively produced by three-dimensional gait analysis before and after treatment were used to identity any changes in gait. Following the Adeli treatment, instrumented gait analysis showed that no clinically significant changes in four critical events of gait following the Adeli treatment occurred.

Professional Expertise Of Community-Based Occupational Therapists, Lori Ann Madaus Lemorie

Masters Theses

Occupational therapists are increasingly practicing in community-based settings. Due to changes in the health care system, the need for defining roles, and explaining what a profession can contribute to health care has been highlighted. The major goal of this study was to identify job roles, job skills, and professional expertise of community-based therapists. The Community Practice Project survey was mailed to 200 AOTA registered community-based therapists. A response rate of 42% was achieved. The results provided a profile of the typical community-based therapist. Principal roles, job skills, and areas of professional expertise were also identified. The adequacy of educational preparation …

The Utilization Of Spirituality In Occupational Therapy: Beliefs, Practices, And Barriers, Jennifer S. Collins

Masters Theses

Spirituality has become an increasingly important topic in healthcare and specifically in occupational therapy. Previous studies of spirituality in occupational therapy indicated that while therapists believed spirituality was important to health and rehabilitation potential, few therapists reported incorporating spirituality into treatment (Engquist, Short-DeGraff, Gliner, & Oltjenbruns, 1997; Howe, 1996; Rose, 1999). This study utilized a survey design to examine occupational therapists' current beliefs and practices regarding spirituality, as well as asking therapists to identify barriers to the use of spirituality in treatment.

The results of this study indicate that beliefs and practices regarding spirituality in occupational therapy may be changing. …

An Occupational Study Of Physical Playing-Related Injuries In College Student Musicians, Christine A. Guptill

Masters Theses

Several studies have been conducted on the playing-related physical injuries of college music students. In this study, a client-centered, occupation-based survey was administered to music majors at a large midwestem university. The primary objectives of the study were to examine which health professionals were consulted by this population, and to determine student satisfaction with any treatment they might have received. Secondary objectives were to determine: (a) the perceived efficacy of currently available treatments, (b) the needs and expectations with regard to consultation and treatment, ( c) the perceived need of professionals with specialized knowledge of music and treating musicians, and …

Examination Of Biomechanical Correction Technique™ As A Diagnostic And Treatment Classification System For Chronic Low Back Pain, Benjamin L. Asper

Masters Theses

Evidence supporting the use of one optimal treatment approach for low back pain is lacking in the research. Two models exist to aid in the formation of a diagnosis, the pathology-based model and the classification system. The pathology-based models use perceived pathology to arrive at a diagnosis, whereas, a classification system uses categories, criteria, and objective findings in order to place patients into a select group. The purpose of this research was to define a new examination and treatment approach called Biomechanical Correction Technique™ (BCT™) and report the treatment outcomes for a sample of low back pain patients with a …