Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Lack Of Medicaid Funding For Occupational Therapy Serving The Autism Spectrum Disorder Population Ages 0-5 Years, Nadia Yala

Honors Theses

The prevalence of autism in the United States is currently 1 in 68 children (Autism Alliance of Michigan, 2014). This is considered an epidemic. There are a variety of treatments available in the state of Michigan for children with autism, such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, and applied behavior analysis (ABA). Effective April 1^st, 2013, Michigan increased their funding cap for ABA therapy for treating children with autism. However, there is a lack of knowledge within the community and amongst professionals in regards to the critical treatment occupational therapy practitioners provide and as a result, there …

Sailing As A Therapy Modality For Occupational Therapy; Requirements Prior To Participation, Carrie Bell

Honors Theses

Many outdoor activities are currently being utilized by recreational therapists to aid in the development of play and leisure skills, education, social skills training, and even therapeutic community. The process of using these outdoor activities can aid clients in emotional, physical, cognitive and social functions. Although these types of activities have been primarily utilized in recreational therapy intervention sessions, these activities carry the potential to also fit within the domain of occupational therapy. In order to engage in the recreational activity of sailing, persons must have specific cognitive, physical, emotional and social abilities. The purpose of this study is to …

Use Of Mobility Devices In Developing Countries; A Comparative Literature Review Introducing The Contextual Factors Surrounding Accessibility And Use Of Mobility Devices In Ghana, Bangladesh, And Guatemala., Bethany Shadel

Honors Theses

Disability in the developing world encompasses 10% of the global population and much of that population requires the use of a mobility device in order to engage in meaningful occupation. The use and accessibility of mobility devices is shaped by the significance of the barriers surrounding mobility. This research looks comparatively at the factors affecting accessibility and the use of mobility devices in three developing countries; Ghana, Bangladesh, and Guatemala. Trends within literature revealed that economic, environmental, and cultural barriers all had an impact on accessibility. Overall, this study determines that accessibility solutions are not possible without removing barriers to …

Sensor Technology For Supporting Independence Among Cognitively Impaired Elders, Kelsey Wright

Honors Theses

Dementia is the most expensive disease in the United States and its prevalence is rapidly increasing as the older adult population grows. The number of older adults diagnosed with dementia living alone is also rising, which brings about numerous safety risks. Due to the declining cognitive skills and behavior changes seen with dementia, it is important find approaches for monitoring their safety. This literature review discusses commercially available monitoring systems and empirical studies using sensor technology with older adults. It also describes a current pilot study that is exploring the use of sensor technology in the homes of cognitively impaired …

An Examination Of The Mental Health Services Provided To Students At Western Michigan University, Melissa Rex

Honors Theses

Introduction: All college students will experience stress related to academic demands, changing social situations and new environments. For some students, these multiple stressors can create overwhelming challenges. Students who are not able to receive needed support may be unable to successfully navigate the world of higher education, and are at higher risk of developing mental illness. The purpose of this study is to assess mental health services available at Western Michigan University (WMU) in comparison to other similar size universities within the state.

Method: The information used in this study was collected via several methods. Information was gathered from …

“Additional Analysis Of Previously Collected Data: Food Choices In Children With Autism”, Kristin Crinion

Honors Theses

The objective of this study was to look at children with autism and their food choices based on previously collected data. The previously collected data includes a caregiver survey to determine food acceptance level (e.g. severe, moderate, typical), and a caregiver reported food inventory. The caregiver reported food inventory was used to see what specific foods children with autism are eating and in what food categories (e.g. dairy, fruits, vegetables, protein, and carbohydrate). Per previously literature, it is researched that children with ASD tend to have more food selectivity than typically developing children (Suarez, Nelson, & Curtis, 2012). There is …

A Study On The Relationship Between Gre Scores Of Doctor Of Physical Therapy Students And First Time Pass Scores On The National Physical Therapy Examination Scores: A Retrospective Study, Givan Hinds

Honors Theses

Background. This study explored relationships between Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) scores. -- Methodology. This is a retrospective correlational design utilizing a purposive sample (n = 102) of Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students from three consecutive cohorts. Correlations were examined between GRE Verbal (GREV), GRE Quantitative (GREQ), and GRE Total (GRET) socres with the NPTE first time pass rate utilizing a Spearman rho correlation coefficient. Discriminant analysis was used to calculate the cut-off score that would correlate with a minimum passing score of 600 on the NPTE. -- Results. The results showed a weak, …