Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

An Interactive Manual For Informal Caregivers Of Cerebral Vascular Accident (Cva) Survivors, Lindsay Draayer, Kaila Gunderson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Based on data from the literature review and clinical experience, an interactive manual was developed for occupational therapists to utilize when working with caregivers of cerebral vascular accident (CVA) survivors. CVA survivors display difficulty in basic personal cares such as eating, dressing, and general mobility within, but not limited to, the first year following the onset of the CVA. An interactive caregiving manual was created that addresses the needs of a caregiver of a CVA survivor during their transition from hospital to home. This focused education program enhances communication between the family caregiver of the CVA survivor and the occupational …

A Clinical Guide To The Psychosocial Issues Related To Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injuries, Mandy Christen, Becky Hansmeier

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Children and adolescents who sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) demonstrate changes in personality, such as mood swings, irritability, impulsivity, argumentative behaviors, decreased frustration tolerance, and difficulty cooperating (Prigatano & Gray, 2007; Prigatano & Gray, 2008; Souza, Braga, Filho, & Dellatolas, 2007). These clients also have an increased susceptibility to psychiatric disorders, including mood and anxiety disorders, later in the lifespan as physical and cognitive demands increase (Koponen et al., 2002; Luis & Mittenberg, 2002; Viguier, Dellatolas, Gasquet, Martin, & Choquet, 2001). Despite these substantial risk factors, a significant number of children and adolescents continue to have unrecognized or unmet …

Promoting Mental Health Occupational Therapy In Higher Education: Lifestyle Redesign® For The College Student, Karen Mccarthy

Collected Faculty Scholarship

No abstract available

An Analysis Of Use Of Equipment And Respite Services By Families With A Daughter With Rett Syndrome, Anna Urbanowicz

Theses : Honours

Purpose: This literature review examines the body of knowledge concerning the use of respite services and assistive products and technology, child and family characteristics, and parental well-being among families with a daughter with Rett syndrome or with a child with another developmental disability. Method: Literature published in the time period 1983-2009 was searched. Studies were included in this review if they reported use of respite services or assistive products and technology among families with a daughter with Rett syndrome or with a child with another developmental disability. Child and family characteristics and parental well-being were also considered. Results and conclusions: …

Powered Mobility As An Intervention For Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Systematic Review ; The Smart Wheelchair: Is It An Appropriate Mobility Training Tool For Children With Cerebral Palsy?, Sarah Mcgarry

Theses : Honours

Purpose. To systematically review the effectiveness of powered mobility training interventions in improving driving skills and psychosocial outcomes in children with cerebral palsy. Method. Electronic searches of CINAHL, Medline and Meditext were conducted. Using two assessment tools, two independent reviewers assessed the quality of selected studies and level of evidence. Studies were included if a powered mobility training intervention was described, at least one participant had cerebral palsy and if the majority of participants were aged between 18 months and 18 years old. A narrative analysis was conducted. Results. Seven articles were eligible for inclusion. Intervention protocols included computer simulator …

Factors Affecting Occupational Therapists’ Decisions To Join Their State Association, Shawn Thomas Ross

Masters Theses

The following research focused on the factors affecting occupational therapists’ decisions to join, withdraw from, or never join their state association. Data was collected using a mixed methods design consisting of a survey that included quantitative questions and a qualitative question. The survey was sent to 1,908 occupational therapists in Michigan and 497 (26%) were returned and usable. Occupational therapists consistently reported dissatisfaction with their state association. Three themes developed regarding reasons occupational therapists’ decisions about membership: prioritization, interpersonal and group communication, and benefits. State and national association memberships were found to be associated. The greatest predictor of membership was …

Perceived Stress In Occupational Therapy Students, Teresa A. Pfeifer, Peter L. Kranz, Angela E. Scoggin

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine perceived stress of entry‐level master's occupational therapy (OT) students enrolled at a Texas university. A total of 29 students including nine men and 20 women participated in the study. Questionnaires and interviews were used for data collection. The participants were interviewed during the end of the first and second year of the entry‐level master's programme in OT. Questionnaires, given at the same time, contained demographic data, open‐end questions and force choice questions rated on a Likert scale. The results indicated that the majority of students (66.4%) rated their current level of stress …

Meaning And Occupational Engagement In A Day Program For Adults With Developmental Disabilities, Wanda Jean Mahoney

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

"September 2008" A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Occupational Therapy. Typescript Project Advisor : Elysa Roberts Occupational justice recognizes that all people have the right to occupational engagement because it is through occupational engagement that people experience well-being. Occupational injustice occurs when outside forces prevent people from engaging in occupation, require participation in activities that they find meaningless, or prevent people from making choices about their occupations. People with developmental disabilities in a day program are at risk for occupational injustice because they require environmental support in order to engage in …

Making The Muve To Virtual Education, Kevin Jarrett, Caren Levine, Marianne Malmstrom, Fil Santiago, Susan Toth-Cohen

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Second Life, a 3D multi-user virtual environment (MUVE), is becoming an increasingly popular topic at educational technology conferences and in the media these days. What’s all the fuss about?

The Evolution Of Language And Perception Of Disability In Occupational Therapy, Kathryn M. Loukas

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

How do occupational therapy practitioners refer to the persons they serve, and how do these terms reflect our perception of disability as a profession? In the hospital or medical model, we call these persons patients; in the community we referred to them as clients; in the marketplace, they may be called consumers. Children serviced through the schools often are called students, and persons in long-term care may be called residents. However, most of the individuals we serve carry a diagnostic label that makes them eligible for services and defines the work of therapy (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], …

Implications Of Sensory Defensiveness In A College Population, Mary-Ellen Johnson, Rebecca Irving

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Sensory defensiveness is an inappropriate and exaggerated response to a typically harmless sensory stimulus (Kinnealey & Oliver, 2002). For persons with sensory defensiveness, sensory stimuli can elicit avoidance, increased arousal, and fight-or-flight behaviors. Some specific behaviors noted in persons with severe sensory defensiveness include crying, screaming, or lashing out from light touch; running away from touch; gagging or vomiting in response to certain food textures; hyperactivity in response to loud noises or bright lights; and extreme reactions to sound stimuli, such as fire alarms or vacuum cleaners. Unexpected and unpredictable stimuli are most likely to cause a reaction, and behavioral …

Using Cultural-Historical Activity To Study Clinical Reasoning In Context, Susan Toth-Cohen

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

The aim of this paper is to describe sources of conflict and congruence in critical areas of practice with caregivers of persons with dementia, using cultural-historical activity theory as an analytic framework. Findings are drawn from an ethnographic study that described the context of occupational therapists’ (OTs’) clinical reasoning in a funded, home-based environmental skill-building program designed to help caregivers manage the daily care of a family member with dementia. Data were gathered through observation of intervention sessions, debriefing sessions, semi-structured interviews with therapists, and review of intervention documentation. Primary sources of conflict and congruence within the identified practice context …

Gross Motor Development, Movement Abnormalities, And Early Identification Of Autism, Sally Ozonoff, Gregory S. Young, Stacy Goldring, Laura Greiss Hess, Andriana M. Herrera, Joel Steele, Suzanne Macari, Susan Hepburn, Sally J. Rogers

Collected Faculty Scholarship

Gross motor development (supine, prone, rolling, sitting, crawling, walking) and movement abnormalities were examined in the home videos of infants later diagnosed with autism (regression and no regression subgroups), developmental delays (DD), or typical development. Group differences in maturity were found for walking, prone, and supine, with the DD and Autism-No Regression groups both showing later developing motor maturity than typical children. The only statistically significant differences in movement abnormalities were in the DD group; the two autism groups did not differ from the typical group in rates of movement abnormalities or lack of protective responses. These findings do not …

Adaptation Interventions To Promote Participation In Natural Settings, Philippa H. Campbell, Ph.D, Suzanne Milbourne, M.S, M. Jeanne Wilcox, Ph.D.

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Children's participation in everyday activities and routines in home and community settings is an important focus of services for infants and young children with disabilities. Data indicate that assistive technology (AT) is not widely used nor do early intervention service providers report frequent use of AT devices with infant-toddlers. Adaptation interventions combine environmental accommodations and AT in ways that promote children's participation in activities and routines and provide functional skill-building learning opportunities. A decision-making process for planning and implementing adaptation interventions is outlined with examples of strategies and formats that service providers can use to create successful interventions for infants …

Addressing Spirituality For Clients With Physical Disabilities, Laura Feeney, Susan Toth-Cohen

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Spirituality is acknowledged as a key influence in human life. However, occupational therapists do not necessarily address clients' spiritual needs in practice. This article describes ways that occupational therapists working in physical disabilities settings address spirituality in practice.

An Occupational Therapist's Guide For Rehabilitative Driving With Traumatic Brain Injured Clients, Josiah Hadsall

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Traumatic brain injuries are devastating occurrence accounting for nearly 10 million injuries occurring each year, with 2 million of those occurring in the United States. As these individuals progress through rehabilitation and begin to acquire independence once again, they look for opportunities to reintegrate within the communities which they live. Driving has been identified as a monumental stage of rehabilitation and is a key way to experience the community for individuals after a traumatic brain injury. This scholarly project was conducted to help occupational therapists addressing driving rehabilitation with traumatic brain injured clients and help ease some of the problems …

Developing The Anker Bilateral Spatial System, Janet Richmond

ECU Posters

Determining the effect of using the Anker Bilateral Spatial System (ABSS) to enhance the development of bilateral and spatial functioning of individuals with visual perceptual or sensory processing difficulties.

Occupational Therapy Program 2008, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

Challenge Course Effectiveness: The Impact On Leadership Efficacy And Work Efficacy Among College Students, Theresa Odello, Eddie Hill, Edwin Gomez

Human Movement Studies & Special Education Faculty Publications

Challenge courses have become increasingly popular in recent years. Many groups are turning to half-day challenge courses due to time and financial constraints. Yet, few studies have quantified the benefits of a half-day course. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of participation in a four-hour challenge course on leadership efficacy and work efficacy of college students. Pretest, posttest, and follow-up questionnaires were utilized. T-test analyses found that participating in a challenge course has a significant positive effect on increasing one’s leadership and work efficacy from pretest to posttest, after participation in a four-hour challenge course. This …

An Educational Resource Forum For Family Caregivers Of Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease, Tina Langlie, Karli Morman

Occupational Therapy Capstones

There are currently 10 million Americans who care for a loved one with Alzheimer's disease or another form of dementia (Alzheimer's Association, 2008). Monitoring and maintaining the health of the caregiver is important because it allows the individual with Alzheimer's disease to remain in their familiar home environment for as long as possible. It has been proven that both physical and emotional health of a caregiver decline with the demands associated with caregiving (O'Rourke, Cappeliez, & Neufeld, 2007). Healthcare professionals are responsible for assisting caregivers with maintaining their own health while caring for their loved one. Therefore, it is important …

An Occupational Therapy Guide For Teaching Handwriting Skills To Adults, Kyla Miller, Nichole Schroeder

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Handwriting is a skill utilized widely by adults; however, there is a lack of guidelines, information, or literature on the subject as it relates to adults. The purpose of this project was to develop guidelines for occupational therapists to use when providing handwriting interventions with adults. A literature review was conducted using PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, DynaMed, and professional journals to further understand the topic of handwriting with adults and its relation to occupational therapy. Currently, there is limited research and information regarding handwriting with adults and no programs or guidelines were found to assist occupational therapists in developing treatment interventions …

Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Course For Occupational Therapy Students, Alison Cherney, Shauna Gregoire-Norrie

Occupational Therapy Capstones

There is limited information regarding the occupational therapists role in the cardiac rehabilitation setting. This lack of information may contribute to a limited amount of therapists working in this setting. Through the identification of this problem, the need for a course on cardiac rehabilitation for occupational therapy students was identified. The course was intended to expand the students’ knowledge of cardiac rehabilitation and the position of an occupational therapist within this setting.

A literature review was conducted utilizing several research databases which include PubMed, ERIC, and SCOPUS in order to determine the depth of information available regarding educational theories, educational …

Reintegrating Military Personnel To Community Life: An Occupational Therapy Perspective, Carlotta Booth, Heather Hanson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The numbers of returning service men and women from Iraq and Afghanistan are experiencing combat-related complications is an area of growing concern for military health providers. This scholarly project investigated the risk factors and problems associated with post traumatic stress disorder among service men and women returning from military duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to examine occupational performance issues faced by the returning soldier. The most significant complications include: inadequate coping skills, loss of interest/participation in leisure, vocational disruptions, problems with reintegrating into the family structure, and ineffective communication/interpersonal skills.

The Lifestyle Redesign Program …

Achieving Positive Benefits For Chronic Pain: Complementary And Alternative Medicine And Occupational Therapy, Cheryl A. Keffeler

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Complementary and alternative medicine can fit into the occupational therapy practice framework to prepare chronic pain patients for participation in occupational performance. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies can be used preparatory to the therapy process or as treatment modalities in their own right.

A comprehensive literature review explores the use and efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine associated with chronic pain diagnoses seen by occupational therapists. Massage, yoga, biofeedback and cognitive-behavioral therapy, Feldenkrais, and Pilates are all techniques that can be utilized by occupational therapists. However, Pilates and Feldenkrais methods are used less frequently by occupational therapists, possibly due …

The Development Of A Test Of Letter And Number Reversal Tendency For Primary School Children, Janet Richmond, Ted Brown

ECU Posters

Development of a standardised instrument to assess visual perceptual skills or primary age school children using letters and numbers

Knowing While Growing: Occupational Therapy Interventions For Women With High-Risk Pregnancies, Rebecca Anderson, Cammie Vodicka

Occupational Therapy Capstones

High-risk pregnancy is a growing concern in the United States (McCormick, 2001), resulting in complications in both the mother and the fetus. Each year, approximately 875,000 women experience at least one complication. Approximately 460,000 women are receiving inadequate prenatal care (American Pregnancy Association, 2007). The purpose of Knowing While Growing: Occupational Therapy Interventions for Women with High-Risk Pregnancies is to promote the health and well ness of expectant mothers and to prevent disability to themselves and their developing fetus through the use of research-based therapeutic interventions. The components of this manual include definitions of high-risk pregnancies and related terms, information …

Helping To Win The Battle Within: An Occupational Therapy Perspective On Returning War Veterans With Ptsd And Employment, Christine Avikainen, Amber L. Harvey

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Approximately 300,000 individuals of the 1.64million servive members and veterans, from Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom have been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Tanielian & Jaycox, 2008).

This scholarly project has addressed the needs of the increasing number of war veterans suffering from PTSD. The soldiers returning from the present war and their employers do not have adequate resources to understand symptoms related to PTSD and the effects on functioning.

A review of the literature revealed a lack of information for returning military personnel and the process of obtaining/reobtaining employment. The research provided evidence that employers and employees …

Occupational Therapy Perspective In The Management Of Lymphedema, Mellonna Beckermann

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Problem: Lymphedema is a collection of excess water, interstitial fluid, plasma proteins, bacteria, and cellular waste products in the interstitial tissues as a result of an impaired lymphatic system due to disease or trauma (Cheville, McGarvey, Petrek, Russo, Taylor, & Thiadens, 2003). This fluid typically collects in a person's upper and/or lower extremities. Lymphedema is a chronic condition and can be progressive if not managed properly. Lymphedema may result in significant impairments to the person, which results in functional limitations and a decrease in quality of life (Konecne & Perdoma, 2004). Treatment of lymphedema can be costly, timely, and overwhelming …

Bright Beginnings: Quick Tips For Occupational Therapists In The Level Ii Nursery, Lindsey Bartholomew, Lacey Gramstad

Occupational Therapy Capstones

In 2004 there were 790 infants born prematurely in Wyoming (Freudenthal, 2006). Currently, the highest level of infant care available in Wyoming is a Level II nursery. In Wyoming, infants born prematurely with special medical needs are typically transported to specialized NICU's in surrounding states. The limited contact that medical staff, including occupational therapists (OT's), in rural facilities have with critically or moderately ill infants creates a lack of competency with the unique medical care needs of the infants. According to Gordon (2003) "nearly half of America's babies start out their lives in a rural community" (p. 3). Furthermore, research …

Occupational Therapy Caregiver's Guide To Spinal Cord Injury, Kelsey Berg, Amanda Larson

Occupational Therapy Capstones

In 2006, it was estimated that there were 253,000 Americans living with spinal cord injuries (SCI) (Spinal Cord Injury Information Network, 2003, p. 1). Current literature suggests that individuals are transitioning into the community earlier with the majority of care being provided by informal caregivers (Boschen, Tonack, & Gargaro, 2005). These caregivers are often unprepared for the major role they will be assuming in the care of their loved one and often their health and well-being is compromised due to the overwhelming nature of caregiving.

A comprehensive literature review was conducted to explore and identify the needs of caregivers. Topics …