Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

How Professional Physical Therapist Education Programs Develop Cultural Competence Within Their Students: An Exploratory Concurrent Mixed Methods Study, Dustin E. Domingo

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this exploratory concurrent mixed methods study was to describe experiences that shape the factors of cultural intelligence (CQ) as perceived by students of professional physical therapist education programs. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to determine whether any particular factor of cultural intelligence influenced one’s overall cultural competence according to the cultural competence continuum by Cross et al. (1989).

Methodology: Students in a professional physical therapist education program completed a questionnaire, which included Likert scale questions, open ended questions, and a 37-item self-assessment based on the expanded cultural intelligence scale by Van Dyne …

A Study Of Music: Music Psychology, Music Therapy, And Worship Music, Jessica Whittemore

Senior Honors Theses

There are three specific fields related to music: the psychology of Music and how it affects human brain and functions, the methodology of Music Therapy and how it affects individuals undergoing treatment, and the psychological effects of Worship Music and how it can be used in music therapy. Music therapy is a growing field in which the therapeutic outcomes greatly benefit the patients. The overall purpose is to create a greater understanding of music and music therapy in order to a provide a system for introducing group worship services into music therapy to ultimately bring spiritual healing to individuals.

Professional Impressions And Experiences Of The Complex Needs Of Human Trafficking Survivors, Jackie Klock, Kelsey Haynes

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

Abstract Human trafficking is a monumental and pervasive human rights issue, and one that carries immense physical, psychological, and psychosocial repercussions to its survivors. This project explores the complex needs and service gaps that exist for survivors of human trafficking. Through a qualitative study, with six in-person interviews of professional providers in Maine, we gain access to important information regarding complex needs of human trafficking survivors. Using thematic analysis we analyze common themes throughout the interviews in relation to previous literature. Recommendations for practice are also presented.

Experiences Of Veterans With Ptsd And Sud In An Outpatient Setting, Andrew Breault, Hannah Shifflett-Kohler

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

In 2014, there were approximately 7.9 million adults in the United States with co-occurring Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Substance Use Disorders (SUD) (SAMHSA, 2014). Of the veterans who served in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan alone, 30% of those in SUD treatment also meet the criteria for PTSD (Seal et al, 2008, pp. 476). Furthermore, statistics show that about 20 Veterans in the United States complete suicide daily (Spiva, 2019, p. 8). The Department of Veterans Affairs is urgently seeking successful approaches to addressing the high incidence of suicides among all veterans along with the low retention …

The Experience Of Social Workers Who Utilize Therapy Dogs In Practice, Kathryn Jochems

Thinking Matters Symposium Archive

Animal assisted therapy, which incorporates animals into structured therapeutic interventions, and its use within social work has been shown to increase social interactions, communication, and the overall health and safety of clients (Nimer & Lundahl, 2007). However, there is a gap in the literature regarding the professional and personal experiences of individual social workers with incorporating certified therapy dogs into their practice. This study examined the approval process, perceived effects on practice, perceived effects outside of practice, and future implications of using therapy dogs in social work through the analysis of qualitative data from seven in-depth interviews with licensed social …

Assessment Of Academic Vocabulary In Early Adolescents Using A Novel Sampling Method, Amber Cline

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The current study examined a method of language sampling (the Dixit Method- Science, Math, Engineering, Arts, and Math) in early adolescents with typically developing language. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the DM-STEAM in eliciting lexically sophisticated spoken language samples in the early adolescent population. To examine lexical sophistication, traditional measures of analysis such as mean length of utterance (MLU) and average type token ratio (AVG TTR) were applied along with a measure of low frequency vocabulary. To compare performance on the DM-STEAM, school standardized assessments were obtained to measure student skill in academic content …

Exploring Mobility Help-Seeking Behavior Among People With Physical Disabilities: A Case Study Of Jaipur Foot, Alex Podell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

It is estimated that as many as 90 million people living in India experience some sort of disability (The World Bank, 2007). As India’s population keeps growing and aging, not only will the medical aspects, but also the societal impacts of disability need to be brought to the forefront of discussion, developmental strategy, and policy implementation. This study sought to analyze factors influencing the process of seeking help from formal and informal sources for people with physical disabilities. Data was collected from 10 people with physical disabilities receiving a variety of mobility aids from the NGO, Bhagwan Mahaveer Viklang Sahayata …

Is Technology The Key To Prevention Of Falls Among The Elderly In Rapidly Aging Societies? A Case Study Of Kunming, China, Phoebe Kiburi

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the aging society rapidly becomes more dominant in the world, there is a pressing need for different stakeholders to tend to the needs of the aging sufficiently. This is crucial in ensuring the robustness of the healthcare system as a whole; given that it can only be as strong as its weakest link. This study focuses on one of the areas of need of the ageing society: fall prevention.

Numerous studies have been done on interventions by the government, private entities, elderly people and their caregivers to prevent occurrence and recurrence of falls. However, most of these have been …

The Moderating Effect Of Employee Bottom-Line Mentality On The Relation Between Personality And Unethical Pro-Organizational Behaviors, Jordan Thomas

Theses and Dissertations

Unethical pro-organizational behavior (UPB) refers to unethical actions that employees engage in to benefit the company they work for. The issue of employees engaging in UPB has been high-lighted in various high-profile scandals, such as the Volkswagen emissions scandal. The current study examined the interaction between employees’ personality traits, perceptions of bottom-line mentality (BLM), and UPB. The results suggested that when employees who are low on trait conscientiousness and honesty-humility are placed in an environment in which they perceive to have high levels of BLM, they are more likely to engage in UPB than those individuals who had higher levels …

Improving The Quality Of Consumer Health Information On Wikipedia: Case Series., Shira Schecter Weiner, Jill S. Horbacewicz, Lane Rasberry, Yocheved Bensinger-Brody

The School of Health Sciences Publications and Research

BACKGROUND: Wikipedia is one of the most consulted health resources in the world. Since the public is using health information from Wikipedia to make health care decisions, improving the quality of that health information is in the public interest. The open editable content design of Wikipedia and quality control processes in place provide an opportunity to add high-value, evidence-based information and take an active role in improving the health care information infrastructure.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this project was to enhance Wikipedia health pages using high-quality, current research findings and track the persistence of those edits and number of page …

Meeting Point: Partner Dancing As Couple's Therapy, Rami Eckhaus

Expressive Therapies Dissertations

This dissertation research explored the experience of partner dancing as a therapeutic process that reflects upon the dynamics and interactions of couples who are in the process of couple's therapy. The research also aimed to gain insight on the ways in which the experience of partner dancing can support these couples' therapeutic processes. Partner dancing is a dance-form that is based on the interaction between two individuals. Such interaction requires the dancing couples to communicate on many levels that may uncover layers of their relational dynamics. In this research, five couples who were undergoing couple's therapy were asked to participate …

Estimating Variations In Metabolic Cost Within The Stride Cycle During Level And Uphill Walking, Arash Mohammadzadeh Gonabadi

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Indirect calorimetry provides the average cost of a stride cycle and prevents from identifying which part of the gait cycle causes increased metabolic cost in patients, however, recent simulation methods allow estimating the time profile of metabolic cost within the stride cycle. In this study, we compare the estimations of the time profile of the metabolic cost of two simulation methods for level and uphill walking. We used kinematic, kinetic and electromyography data from level and uphill walking (one participant) to estimate the time profiles of metabolic cost using the muscle-level metabolic model of Umberger using electromyography and kinematic data …

Cardiorespiratory Responses To Shallow Water Exercise: A Sex Comparison, Mitchell Garant Fisher, Laura Jean Miller, Jerusalem Tesfaye, Karen Roemer, Debra Mary D'Acquisto, Leo Joseph D'Acquisto

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This investigation examined physiological responses to shallow water exercise (SWE) and to a high-intensity interval SWE workout (HIISWE) in males (M, n=9) and females (F, n=9). Participants performed 5 X 5 min. SWE bouts (bts.) at ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 (Borg scale) and a maximal bout of SWE with metabolic, heart rate (HR), and blood lactate (BLa) responses monitored. The same measurements were performed during HIISWE (4 X 4-min bts., alternating 20-s “all-out” and 10-s rest). Peak oxygen uptake (V̇O₂) and BLa were greater in M (3.6 ± 0.4 vs. 2.7 …

A Therapeutic Pastoral Counseling Program Designed To Reveal And Treat Combat Events Of Homeless Veterans In Wake County, North Carolina, Earnest Lee Shannon Jr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This thesis project researched homelessness among male veterans in Wake County, North Carolina to determine if they experienced a combat event that caused spiritual injury caused by moral injury and shame, which contributed to their homelessness. Joshua’s Conquest, the spiritual formation treatment program is used to treat the spiritual injury. The need for this program is explicated, along with the development of Joshua’s Conquest, and how it will treat this odious event, so the homeless male veteran will be able to obtain housing normalcy. Personally, this thesis project was fueled by experiences with homelessness and limited service in the military. …

An Investigation Of Youth Swimming Skills And Method Of Instruction, Carol C. Irwin, Jennifer R. Pharr, Todd E. Layne, Richard L. Irwin

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Drowning is a leading cause of death for US children. Teaching youth to swim in a formal setting from certified instructors is a consistent drowning prevention recommendation. Purposes for this investigation was to examine type of swimming instruction and ability to swim and compare to attitudes toward swimming among US youth. Methods were similar to previous USA Swimming studies in 2008 and 2010. YMCA associations in five cities were used to recruit adolescent survey respondents (n=600) aged 12-18 years. Results showed African American youth had the lowest rate of formal swimming instruction (29%) compared to White (32%) and Hispanic (42%) …

State Roles In Promoting Community Life Engagement: Themes From The State Employment Leadership Network’S Working Group, Jennifer Sullivan Sulewski, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

As states focus on expanding integrated employment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and phasing out sheltered work, they are finding a need to concurrently examine Community Life Engagement (CLE) supports as a wrap-around to ensure individuals’ engagement in the community is maintained and they continue to receive sufficient levels of support, despite fluctuations in job status and hours. In January through June of 2017, the State Employment Leadership Network (SELN) hosted a working group of member states to discuss ideas and share strategies for encouraging quality CLE supports while maintaining a focus on Employment First (see …

A Roadmap To Competitive Integrated Employment: Strategies For Provider Transformation, Esther Kamau, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

Competitive integrated employment is defined within the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA, 2014) as full-time or part-time work at minimum wage or higher, with wages and benefits similar to those without disabilities performing the same work, and fully integrated with coworkers without disabilities. The Act requires that states ensure employment is offered as a priority outcome for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). As a result, providers who offer employment support to people with IDD have been working to phase out sheltered workshops and transform to offer competitive integrated employment.

A Physiologically Based Approach To Prescribing Exercise Following A Sport‑Related Concussion, Phillip R. Worts, Scott O. Burkhart, Jeong-Su Kim

Faculty Publications - Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) Program

Clinical management of concussion has evolved over the last 20 years, and complete cognitive and physical rest remains a common clinical recommendation. The duration of rest may vary widely, from 24–48 h to several weeks or until the patient’s symptoms have resolved or returned to near baseline levels. Following a period of rest, a stepwise progression of exercise is used for gradual return to play or to work. Previous research in healthy people suggested that prolonged periods of physical inactivity consistently induced deleterious physiological and psychological efects. A growing body of evidence indicates that initiating exercise earlier in the recovery …

Risk Factors For Boating Incidents In Inuvik, Northwest Territories, Canada, Catherine Tr Glass, Audrey R. Giles

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Injury prevention programs that focus on boating and water safety in the Northwest Territories (NWT) have existed for decades; however, rates of boating incidents are much higher in the NWT than southern Canada. To better understand this health disparity, we engaged in community-based participatory research informed by postcolonial feminist theory to examine Aboriginal men’s understandings of the risk factors that contribute to boating incidents in Inuvik, NWT. Participants identified four main risk factors for boating incidents in Inuvik: 1) Gender, 2) age, 3) place, and 4) lack of boating safety education. As a result of these findings and the ways …

Examining The Perceived Impacts Of Recreational Swimming Lessons For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Erin Kraft M.A. Ed.

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived impacts of recreational swimming lesson participation for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Although swimming lessons are a suitable form of physical activity for children with ASD, minimal research has examined the impacts of these lessons. The author conducted semi-structured interviews with an Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) certified therapist and a swim instructor, each with experience working with children with ASD in swimming lessons. The participants suggested that swimming lessons encouraged children with ASD to socialise. Both participants agreed that distractions in swimming lessons and barriers in communication created challenges …

Simulation Enhances Soft Skills Among Inter-Professionals Participating In An International Service-Learning Experience To A Resource-Limited Country, Suzanne Trotter, Sharon Dunnivan-Mitchell

Physical Therapy Collection

Soft skills are the hallmark of a master healthcare provider. One of the most effective ways to teach soft skills is through service-learning. Evidence suggests that adding simulation as part of a service-learning team’s pre-departure training (PDT) will better prepare them to resolve ethical and cultural dilemmas plus facilitate soft skills. We hypothesized that simulation could improve soft skills of healthcare providers delivering rehabilitation services on a one-week service-learning experience in Guatemala

A convenience sample of 21 physical and occupational therapy students and clinicians who participated in four 1-hour PDTs were included in this qualitative study using grounded-theory methods. Training …

Parental Self-Efficacy Of The “Unexpected Parent”, Cinthia L. Arbogast

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Research focused on the “unexpected parent” is limited. This population of parent is increasing in frequency.

Purpose: The purpose of this capstone study was to provide support to unexpected parents. The study focused on the area of establishing and maintaining routines and consistency as a means to decrease negative behavior in order to improve parental selfefficacy. With improved skills and perceived improved abilities, the aim of this study was to improve this performance of this group of parents during their participation in the occupation of parenting.

Theoretical Framework. The theory driving this research is the occupation-based model called the …

Use Of The Alert Program® In A Sensory Room At An Emergency Children's Shelter, Sarah May Bautista

OT Student Capstones

Children who have experienced trauma have difficulty with behavioral self-regulation which effects social participation, play, and academics (Petrenchik & Weiss, 2015). Young children learn through exploration of their environment and gather information from the senses of taste, sight, touch, smell, sound, proprioception, and body movement (vestibular). As sensory information is gathered, the brain and body organize and interpret these sensations. The manner in which these senses are experienced determine which sensory experiences are preferred, and the nature of behavioral reactions. Children who have experienced trauma have difficulty managing stress, emotions, and daily routines. In the community occupational therapists can encourage …

Outcomes For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) Utilizing Adolescent Adaptive Life Skills Groups, Elizabeth A. Grant

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

This capstone project brings to our attention the importance of occupational therapy’s role in meeting the continued and ever changing service needs of individuals with ASD as they transition into adulthood. Adaptive life skill groups fill a gap in services for adolescents and support learning and performance of everyday occupations necessary for independent living. The purpose of this project was to determine if occupational therapy adolescent adaptive life skill groups are an effective method for improving adaptive life skill and maintaining that skill in individuals with ASD over time. This project provided insights into differences in assessment scores for participants …

Occupational Therapist-Led Parent Support Group Using An Occupational Therapy Approach, Sean Brim

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

This was an intervention research aimed at reducing stress levels of parents of children with disabilities is limited. The purpose of this study was to introduce an occupational therapy led pilot support group for parents who have a child with a disability and improve parent’s abilities to manage stress levels. This quantitative study utilized the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) to assess parental stress at baseline and upon completion of the four support group sessions. There were six participants in the support group meeting the inclusion criteria. The objective of this non-blinded study was to reduce stress for parents who have …

Relationship Between Transformational Leadership And Perceived Meaning In Work, Denise Adams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have conducted correlational studies on transformational leadership and perceived meaning in work; however, researchers have not used an experimental design to examine the relationship between transformational leadership and perceived meaning in work. The purpose of this study was to determine whether reading information on transformational leadership, which focused on charisma and individualized consideration, influenced participants' hypothetical judgment of perceived meaning in work. The quantitative study included a 2 x 2 between-subjects design in which information on the independent variables of charisma and individualized consideration was manipulated in a description of a hypothetical leader. The dependent variable was the hypothetical …

Vwa: Hearing The Courageous Voices Of Extraordinary Women Who Have Experienced Intimate Partner Violence In Haiti, An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, Michaelle Darley Pierre

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a huge epidemic in Haiti. It is estimated that 273,200 women suffer from instances of IPV yearly in Haiti. This is in line with the finding that 9.4% of the population of 14-49 year old Haitian women are affected by IPV (Gage, Honoré, & Deleon, 2016; Hindin, Kishor, & Ansara, 2008). It is critical to incorporate the voices of courageous women who have lived through partner violence into our understanding of this phenomenon. This qualitative study aimed to hear the VWA (Voice in Creole) of women in Haiti based on their lived experiences of IPV …

Marriage And Family Therapists’ Clinical Impressions Of Romantic Relationship Dissolution Heartbreak: A Modified Delphi Study, Isibel C. Moreno

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary (2018) defines heartbreak as “crushing grief, anguish or distress.” Heartbreak can lead to biological, psychological and social responses and consequences. Heartbreak from the dissolution of a romantic relationship is a form of disenfranchised grief, which is defined as the griever’s belief that society does not recognize their source of grief as legitimate (Doka, 1989). The literature shows that talking about grief helps those who experience it (Fisher & Archer, 2008). Hence, the present study sought to provide a consensus of the best practices that marriage and family therapists have utilized to help broken-hearted clients. I employed a …

An Autoethnography Of A Bilingual Therapist Working With Haitian Clients: Reconnecting To Home, Marie Philomise Joseph

Department of Family Therapy Dissertations and Applied Clinical Projects

This evocative autoethnographic study is a very personalized account of my life as a Haitian American and a bilingual family therapist working with Haitian refugee earthquake survivors. The study focused on the lived experiences and challenges encountered as a family therapist trained in systemic techniques, linguistic terminology, and the Westernized psychotherapy approach to engaging Creole-speaking clients in therapy. Other challenges that existed were uncovered during the integration of the use of Haitian Creole language and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) tenets as the preferred model. It explored this therapist’s narrative in the process of providing psychotherapy to these clients, emerged a …

Barriers To Change For Augmentative And Alternative Communication, Lauren E. Brown

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of counseling training on speech language pathologists’ (SLPs) perceived competency to address Attitude Barriers within the augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) assessment process as presented by Beukelman and Mirenda (2005). Counseling techniques, such as the use of the Readiness to Change© tool, are within the scope of practice for SLPs. Unfortunately, there is a lack of research on how to apply these tools and techniques with individuals who use AAC .

A training seminar was conducted to educate participants in the use of the Readiness to Change© tool. Data was …