Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Movement Without Boundaries, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Johnson Simon, an artist based in West Palm Beach, FL, provided the cover art for the Fall 2017 edition of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Dancing in Motion” is a 36” x 60” painting made from acrylic on canvas. Johnson always wanted to become a dancer. He was born with cerebral palsy, and therefore physical limitations make it difficult for Johnson to coordinate his body movements. Through use of vibrant colors and bold strokes, Johnson’s expressionist paintings evoke movement and motion. Occupational therapy helped Johnson discover his artistic abilities. Painting empowered him to move without limitations.

Overview Of Instructional Technology Used In The Education Of Occupational Therapy Students: A Survey Study, Bryan M. Gee, Lisa Salazar, Jessica Porter, Camiel Clark, Theodore W. Peterson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this study was to explore the type of instructional technology (IT) master’s degree level occupational therapy educational programs routinely use as a part of their lecture- and laboratory-based instruction. Surveying the administrators of 121 graduate occupational therapy programs in the United States, we found that the majority of the respondents identified their program as using IT in some form for lecture-based courses, with less inclusion of IT for laboratory-based courses. Hybrid instruction, with the majority of the content being delivered face-to-face and the remainder via online, were the trends among the respondents. The findings also indicated that …

Perceptions Of Occupational Therapy Students And Faculty Of Compressed Courses: A Pilot Study, Martina G. Allen, Mary Voytek

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

As occupational therapists, our mandate is to be client centered, yet in academic settings there is little information regarding student or faculty preferences about curriculum and course design. This study investigated the perceptions of occupational therapy students and faculty regarding the delivery of content in a compressed course format, thus reducing the number of courses taken at any given time. The authors discuss how the results inform the feasibility of incorporating this format into future curriculum design. A descriptive survey design was used for this study. The participants were 33 entry-level graduate students and two faculty who completed post-course surveys …

Occupational Therapy Students In Norway: Do Their Approaches To Studying Vary By Year In The Program?, Tore Bonsaksen, Mikkel M. Thørrisen, Talieh Sadeghi

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Approaches to studying may be influenced by students’ age, maturity, and experience in higher education. Students’ approaches to studying may develop toward deep and/or strategic approaches and away from a surface approach as they move through the curriculum, which is generally considered a positive development. This study aimed to identify differences in approaches to studying among first-, second-, and third-year students enrolled in an occupational therapy program. Three cohorts of students (n = 160) from one university college completed the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students (ASSIST) along with sociodemographic information. One-way analyses of variance were used to …

Educating Occupational Therapists In The Use Of Theory And Evidence To Enhance Supervision Practice, Melanie J. Roberts, Deborah Fitzgerald, Matthew Molineux

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This paper describes the implementation of a unique learning experience aimed at enhancing the quality of supervision practice in occupational therapy at the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service. The package was designed by experienced occupational therapy educators based on adult, blended, and flipped learning approaches with content developed following administration of a standardized tool and semi-structured interviews. The learning package focused particularly on the logistics of supervision and the use of occupational therapy theory and evidence with supervision. The training for supervising therapists included a workshop and pre and post workshop learning activities. This collaborative research approach to designing …

Passing The Nbcot Examination: Preadmission, Academic, And Fieldwork Factors, Sharon D. Novalis, Jill M. Cyranowski, Cathy D. Dolhi

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

All occupational therapy students are required to successfully complete the certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) before they can practice independently. The need to repeat the examination can result in stress, anxiety, and financial hardship. This paper explores the relationship of preadmission factors, academic and fieldwork performance, and demographic variables to successful first-time attempts on the certification examination for occupational therapists. Data were gathered from 144 student files in a Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) Program at a single university. Of the sample, 82% passed and 18% failed their first NBCOT test trial. …

Art In Occupational Therapy Education: An Exploratory Mixed-Methods Study Of An Arts-Based Module, Susan Coppola, Adrienne F. Miao, Carolyn Allmendinger, Wanqing Zhang

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Art-based learning experiences have demonstrated a range of benefits, including improved observation skills and perspective taking. This article describes the effects of an art-based module in an entry-level curriculum for occupational therapy (OT) students. An exploratory pilot study investigated the feasibility of a group-administered visual art-based module for 20 first-year OT graduate students. Outcomes were evaluated using a mixed-methods approach that combined pre-post quantitative results from survey questionnaires and qualitative reflective essays. Pre- and post-surveys revealed significant changes in the students’ perception regarding the benefits of art in OT curricula. The students’ reflective essays on their learning described art-based sessions …

Master’S Of Occupational Therapy Student Perceptions Of Creative Thinking Across The Academic Program, Angela K. Boisselle, Mary F. Baxter

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This study was part of a larger study to describe how master’s of occupational therapy (MOT) students define and perceive their own creative thinking across the academic program. This study involved a cross-sectional quantitative study based on the self-reflective creative thinking surveys completed by the MOT students at Texas Woman’s University (N = 136). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to reduce a large number of variables by finding which variables are redundant and measuring the same construct. The PCA resulted in three new components accounting for 68% of the variance. Three ANOVAs were conducted to explore possible differences in …

An Examination Of The Association Of Social Media Use With The Satisfaction With Daily Routines And Healthy Lifestyle Habits For Undergraduate And Graduate Students, Melanie Austin-Mccain

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Social media use has become an integral daily occupation of college and graduate students. In the United States, 90% of adults aged 18 to 29 years use social media (Pew Internet, 2015). Positive and negative data has been found which examined associations between social media use and other daily occupations (activities) that impact emotional and physical health. The purpose of this study is to examine the association of social media use with the satisfaction of daily routines and healthy lifestyle habits for undergraduate and graduate students.

Method: Undergraduate and graduate students responded to survey questions regarding their …

Joint Attention And Occupations For Children And Families Living With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review, Verna G. Eschenfelder, Christina M. Gavalas

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Research reports that children living with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) may demonstrate deficits in social, emotional, behavioral, and communication skills, which adversely affect social participation and occupational engagement. Joint attention skills constitute any nonverbal communication that captures the attention of another to create a shared interactional experience. The components of joint attention can be targeted through intervention to promote occupational engagement in childhood co-occupations.

Methods: A scoping review process was applied in the current study. Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria to be analyzed through critical appraisal of topics and use of a matrix.

Results: Evidence indicates that joint …

Development Of The Daily Living Questionnaire (Dlq): A Factor Analysis Study, Sara Rosenblum, Naomi Josman, Joan Toglia

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Performance of daily activities and participation in life events involves higher-level cognitive abilities. The purpose of this study was to develop a self-report scale for detecting everyday difficulties in activities/participation tied with higher-level cognitive deficiency and to examine its reliability and validity.

Method: The Daily Living Questionnaire’s (DLQ) content and face validity were established. Internal consistency following an exploratory factor analysis, as well as construct validity, were initiated with a convenience sample of 194 healthy adults, aged 18 to 85 years, and 34 adults diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Results: The four factors received in Part A, activities and …

Association Between Sensory Processing By Children With High Functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder And Their Daily Routines, Tsameret Ricon, Rachel Sorek, Batya Engel Yeger

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder exhibit persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction accompanied by restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior, interests, or activities. Those with normal intelligence are considered to have high functioning autism spectrum disorder (HFASD).

Method: The study participants were 20 children with HFASD aged 5 to 7 years old attending mainstream educational programs and their parents (study group) and 30 typically-developing age-matched children from the same socio-economic background and their parents (control group). Parents from both groups completed the Short Sensory Profile to investigate their children’s sensory processing and the presence of …

Psychometric Properties Of The Make My Day Tool To Assess Perceived Performance Of Children’S Daily Activities, Liron Or, Tsameret Ricon

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: No instrument with strong psychometric qualities exists to measure occupational performance in young children through child-reporting. We investigated the reliability and validity of the Make My Day (MMD) tool for children aged 4 to 7 years and their parents.

Method: We administered a demographic questionnaire, the MMD, and two other tools having similar objectives to a sample of 75 typically-developing Jewish-Israeli children aged 4 to 7 years and their parents. For internal consistency, we pooled the data with those from our earlier study involving 62 typically-developing Arab-Israeli children.

Results: The MMD exhibited acceptable to good internal …

Cultivating New Ideas And Solutions In The Occupational Therapy Profession By Fostering Divergent Thinking, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Building Bridges Through Meaningful Occupation, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Mary Block, MS, OTR/L, an occupational therapist and artist based in Illinois, provided the cover art for the Summer 2017 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). Generations is a sculpture made from concrete that measures 240 x100 in. (6.096 x 2.54 m). The piece was commissioned by Mary’s home town, the Village of Deerfield, IL. Mary always knew she wanted to be an artist. When competing paradigms altered Mary’s career path, the field of occupational therapy helped her to shape a new worldview. In uncertain times, meaningful occupation empowered Mary to start over again where she originally …

Perils And Pitfalls Of Ot Research In A Foreign Country: A Reflection, Brenda S. Howard

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

They Said: We Are All In This Together., Michelle A. Suarez

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Occupational Therapy In Primary Care: Structures And Processes That Support Integration, Brenda Koverman, Lydia Royeen, Mary Stoykov

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Few studies have outlined the processes and structures needed to develop and integrate occupational therapy into a primary care provider’s office setting. This paper focuses on implementation of the clinic model of occupational therapy in primary care and is intended to address the deficiencies in current literature, including detailed program development steps. Barriers identified in the 8-week pilot program and the successful development of a reimbursable occupational therapy service in primary care will be discussed. The results of the implementation of occupational therapy in primary care are positive. The providers have accepted and embraced the distinct value of occupational therapy …

Interprofessional Primary Care: The Value Of Occupational Therapy, Sue Dahl-Popolizio, Oaklee Rogers, Sherry Lynne Muir, Jennifer Carroll, Lesley Manson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The authors explore the training and expertise of occupational therapists and the cost benefit of the strategic use of occupational therapists as members of the interprofessional primary care (PC) team. PC practices can optimize successful and cost-effective patient care delivery, outcomes, and access to care by using interprofessional care teams and allowing physicians to off-load patients whose issues relate to routines and habits and do not require diagnostic or prescriptive intervention. This, and the occupational therapist’s ability to obtain reimbursement for his or her services, demonstrates that this professional can be an invaluable addition to the integrated PC team. The …

Occupational Therapy In Primary Care: Determining Receptiveness Of Occupational Therapists And Primary Care Providers, Sue Dahl-Popolizio, Sherry Lynne Muir, Kaila Davis, Sabrina Wade, Rachael Voysey

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Primary care (PC) is an emerging practice setting for occupational therapy; however, few occupational therapists currently practice in this setting due to barriers, including uncertainty about reimbursement and the role of occupational therapists. This pilot study aimed to determine if PC providers and occupational therapists are receptive to occupational therapists as integrated interprofessional PC team members if barriers to inclusion are addressed.

Method: After a brief educational paragraph explaining potential occupational therapy contributions to PC teams, the participants accessed a link to survey questions regarding their personal level of receptiveness to occupational therapy in PC. The questions comprised …

The Geriatrics Workforce Enhancement Program: Occupational Therapy’S Imperative Role In Interprofessional Education, Jeannine Nonaillada, Natalie C. Gangai, Chrysanne Eichner, Rosario Costas-Muniz

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This paper will expound on the findings discovered from efforts made by including an occupational therapist on an interprofessional education initiative charged with developing content to enhance knowledge of geriatrics for health care providers, community-dwelling older adults, and caregivers in medically underserved areas. We will describe the actions of the interprofessional team and present data about the impact of collaborative, systematic input on one educational program taught primarily by the occupational therapist. We will then describe the personal and professional growth opportunities experienced by the occupational therapist on this initiative, and impart the challenges faced and provide recommendations to overcome …

An Exploratory Study On The Teaching Of Evidence-Based Decision Making, Erica Baarends, Marcel Van Der Klink, Aliki Thomas

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: There is no clear guideline on how to teach students evidence-based decision making (EBDM), so this study aimed to assess the impact of an educational intervention on students’ EBDM skills.

Methods: This was an explorative mixed-method study of 12 undergraduate occupational therapy students and their teacher. The teaching was aimed at increasing self-efficacy and cognitive skills in EBDM. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather the students’ perceived learning benefits. Before and after the intervention, a self-efficacy questionnaire, a critical thinking test, and scored generic cognitive skills in an argument were used as measures of learning achievements. Content …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In An Interprofessional Student-Run Free Clinic: Challenges And Opportunities Identified, Oaklee Rogers, Andrea Heck, Lindsey Kohnert, Pooja Paode, Liz Harrell

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Student-run free clinics (SRFCs) provide services to underserved populations while enhancing student education. Occupational therapy (OT) participation in integrated care SRFCs is an emerging area of practice and enhances the interprofessional model necessary for holistic patient care. The Student Health Outreach for Wellness (SHOW) organization, located in Phoenix, Arizona, is a SRFC comprised of three state universities that incorporates nine different health professional programs to deliver interprofessional care, including OT. The SHOW clinic provides direct care services where student volunteers practice clinical and interprofessional skills under the guidance of licensed health care providers. OT preceptors and students participate in team-based …

Capacity Building To Improve Interprofessional Collaboration Through A Faculty Learning Community, Shannon L. Mcmorrow, Kate E. Decleene Huber, Steve Wiley

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Though much has been written on Interprofessional Education (IPE) and Faculty Learning Communities (FLCs) independently, there is limited literature devoted to examining the use of

FLCs to enhance IPE for the health professions. A FLC dedicated to building capacity for IPE in a small, private midwestern university comprised of faculty representing occupational therapy, physical therapy, nursing, public health, gerontology, medical anthropology, psychology, social work, and exercise science was conducted over the course of one semester. This article details the implementation process for the IPE FLC; describes outcomes related to teaching, scholarship, and service of faculty from a qualitative evaluation conducted …

Determining The Feasibility, Content Validity, And Internal Consistency Of A Newly Developed Care Coordination Scale For People With Brain Injury, Brian P. Johnson, Mark V. Johnston

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: With the increasing complexity of care, people with disabilities and supportive significant others (SSO) must often coordinate key aspects of their own care, but no validated scale currently exists to comprehensively characterize the activities done to manage and coordinate their care.

Method: This study aimed to improve the feasibility, acceptability, and content validity of the Care and Service Coordination and Management (CASCAM) scale and to test its internal consistency. Questionnaire items were administered to 23 individuals with acquired brain injury and 17 SSO.

Results: Respondents confirmed content validity and that the instrument addresses important care coordination and management issues. …

Effectiveness Of A Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation Program Following Shoulder Injury, Andrea Bean, Cathryn Edmonds, Tukata Lin, Rachel Davis, Lisa Hopcroft, Alicia Savona, Gargi Singh, Kristina Boccia, Kyle Leming, Helen Mann, Helen Razmjou

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Shoulder injuries in working age adults result in a major cost to the health care system. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a new multidisciplinary rehabilitation program and to explore factors that affected a successful return to work (RTW) in injured workers with shoulder problems who received this program.

Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal study. The patient-oriented outcome measures were the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH). Range of motion (ROM) in flexion, abduction, and external rotation and strength in lifting and push/pull were …

Interprofessional Collaboration To Support Children With Diabetes, Katie M. Polo, Susan M. Cahill

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate school nurses’ perspectives related to interprofessional collaboration to support health promotion and development of self-management skills of students with diabetes.

Method: A link to an on-line survey was sent to 312 school nurses. The survey included 11 items pertaining to the nurses’ perceptions.

Results: The majority of the respondents (91.8%, n = 56) reported that instruction and maintenance of diabetes self-management skills would benefit from an interprofessional team. Few of the respondents (20.8%, n = 11) identified occupational therapy practitioners as possible collaborators. Nearly two-thirds (62.7%, n = 37) of the …

Exploring The Value Of Interprofessional Collaboration Between Occupational Therapy And Design: A Pilot Survey Study, Amy Wagenfeld, Lori Reynolds, Tamar Amiri

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Consistent with the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Vision 2025, interprofessional partnerships between occupational therapy and designers is necessary to “maximize health, well-being, and quality of life for all people . . . through effective solutions that facilitate participation in everyday living” (2016, para 1). Occupational therapy’s knowledge of the person-environment-occupation fit appears to make us well suited to collaborate with design teams to create environments that facilitate optimal function and promote health and well-being (Ainsworth & de Jonge, 2014).

Method: Two short closed-ended online questionnaires were designed to gain an understanding of designer and occupational therapy practitioner impressions of …

Interprofessional Practice And Education: Multiple Lenses Bring A Sharper Focus, Ben J. Atchison, Michelle A. Suarez

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

The Healing Nature Of Occupation, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Moses Hamilton, an artist based in Hawaii, provided the cover art for the Spring 2017 edition of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Pali Kai” is a 11”x14” painting made from acrylic on canvas. When a tragic car accident left Hamilton paralyzed from the chest down, mouth painting provided an outlet for self-expression and stress relief. Participation in a meaningful occupation helped Hamilton find his path in life. With their colorful impressionist-style, Hamilton’s paintings have brought happiness to people all over the world.