Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

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.

Gross Motor Outcomes After Dynamic Weight-Bearing In 2 Children With Trunk Hypotonia: A Case Series, Elizabeth Ardolino, Megan Flores, Kathleen Manella

Physical Therapy Collection

NTRODUCTION:

Children with trunk hypotonia may have limited ability to maintain an upright weight-bearing position, resulting in decreased postural control and a delay in achieving gross motor milestones.

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this case series is to report the effect of a home-based dynamic standing program on postural control and gross motor activity in 2 children with trunk hypotonia.

DESCRIPTIONS:

Child 1 (aged 24 months, Gross Motor Function Classification Scale Level IV) and Child 2 (aged 21 months, Gross Motor Function Classification Scale Level V) participated in a standing program using the Upsee harness at home 3 days per week …

The Effects Of Spinal Mobilizations, Manual Stretching, And Exercises In The Treatment Of Testicular Pain: A Case Report, Kunal Bhanot, Navpreet Kaur, R Chambers

Physical Therapy Collection

The purpose of this case report was to describe the PT management in relieving testicular pain related to genitofemoral nerve entrapment.

Ua10/1 Cec Newsletter, Mary Lloyd Moore, Wku Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex

CEC Publications

Topics include:

-Summer CDC Interships

-Special Needs Expo

-Special Needs Summit

-Autism Family Fun Day

Will Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex And Balance Rehabilitation Reduce Visual Deficits & Improve Stability Of A Patient With Multiple Sclerosis?, Natalie Hunt, Jennifer Kiggins

Sacred Heart University Scholar

Context: Identification of rehabilitation exercises to decrease symptomology in a patient with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is necessary for enhancing quality of life. Various vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) rehabilitation exercises can help patients adapt to balance problems. Currently, no researcher has utilized the VSR™ Sport and inVision™ systems by NeuroCom® for rehabilitation among patients with MS.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to create a rehabilitation protocol incorporating VOR and balance exercises to decrease visual deficits and improve stability in a patient with MS. This study will examine the effects of rehabilitation and determine if scores improve from baseline testing.

Design: …

Examining The Relationship Between Home Literacy Environment And Neural Correlates Of Phonological Processing In Beginning Readers With And Without A Familial Risk For Dyslexia: An Fmri Study, Sara J. Powers, Yingying Wang, Sara D. Beach, Georgios D. Sideridis, Nadine Gaab

Center for Brain, Biology, and Behavior: Faculty Publications

Developmental dyslexia is a language-based learning disability characterized by persistent difficulty in learning to read. While an understanding of genetic contributions is emerging, the ways the environment affects brain functioning in children with developmental dyslexia are poorly understood. A relationship between the home literacy environment (HLE) and neural correlates of reading has been identified in typically developing children, yet it remains unclear whether similar effects are observable in children with a genetic predisposition for dyslexia. Understanding environmental contributions is important given that we do not understand why some genetically at-risk children do not develop dyslexia. Here we investigate for the …

Moving From Parent "Consultant" To Parent "Collaborator": One Pediatric Research Team's Experience., Doreen Bartlett, Lisa A Chiarello, Tina Hjorngaard, Barbara Sieck Taylor

Physical Therapy Publications

We share our experiences as academic physical therapists and parents of young people with cerebral palsy working together as a research team, describe and critically review how our working relationship has evolved and propose further enhancements to realize our shared vision. This manuscript is informed by a call for “family-centered research,” transcripts of face-to-face meetings held over a period of 11/2 days, the INVOLVE document and our experiences over almost a decade, as well as other related literature. Authentic collaborative research partnerships between academic researchers and parents embodying trust, mutual respect and shared social responsibility take time and effort to …

Understanding Participation Of Children With Cerebral Palsy In Family And Recreational Activities., Mohammed S Alghamdi, Lisa A Chiarello, Robert J Palisano, Sarah W Mccoy

Physical Therapy Publications

AIMS: The primary aim of this study was to determine the effect of age, sex, gross motor, manual ability, and communication functions on the frequency and enjoyment of children's participation in family and recreational activities. The secondary aim was to determine the relationships between motor and communication functions and participation.

METHODS: Participants were 694 children, 1.5-12 years old, with cerebral palsy (CP) and their parents across the US and Canada. Parents rated children's frequency and enjoyment of participation using the Child Engagement in Daily Life measure. Parents and therapists identified children's level of function using Gross Motor Function Classification System …

Implementation Of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Post Mesenchymal Stem Cell Procedure Secondary To Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease: A Case Report, Sara Daley, Anne H. Boddy

St. Augustine, Fall 2017

The purpose of this case report is to determine if the PNF rolling technique can improve strength, balance, range of motion, lower extremity power, and gait speed in a male pediatric patient with Legg-Calve-Perthes disease post femoral core decompression with mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) injection.

“Yes I Have Parkinson’S, But I Still Have Low Back Pain”, Logan Rodgers, Anne H. Boddy

St. Augustine, Fall 2017

The purpose of this case report is to describe the efficacy of physical therapy manipulation to the lumbar spine of a Parkinson’s patient suffering from low back pain. Further, this case report seeks to demonstrate the importance of treating musculoskeletal injuries in a neurologically compromised population for the purposes of restoring them to their prior level of activity and participation.

The Kinetic Chain Of Pelvic Pain, Jennifer Flenorl, Anne H. Boddy

St. Augustine, Fall 2017

The purpose of this case study is to examine the effectiveness of traditional pelvic floor rehabilitation and functional activity training in reducing and eliminating pelvic pain in the obese, adolescent female population.

Outdoor Leisure Occupation: The Impact Of Women’S Fear Of Violence On Engagement And Enjoyment, Jaclyn Bria, Sophia Kon, Malia Norman, Alina Pulfrey, Zachary Schafer, Heather Miller-Kuhaneck

Occupational Therapy Graduate Publications

Limited research examines the types of outdoor leisure that women like to do and the specific impact of fear for safety on their engagement in and enjoyment of outdoor leisure occupations.

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Abilities Care Approach™ Training, Michelle E. D'Amato, Sophie E. Miller, April Perez, Carmen Joaquin, Louiza Alexandria Villarina

Student Research Posters

Approximately 50% of US nursing home residents have a diagnosis of dementia. Abilities Care Approach® was created by occupational therapists (OTs) to promote quality dementia care for residents in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) are often the primary caregiver for residents with dementia. To ensure carryover of ACA principles, ACE dementia training was targeted towards CNAs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate Abilities Care Experts®(ACE) training program which provides CNAs with an occupation-based dementia care approach by focusing on the importance of occupational engagement and knowledge of dementia stages. Results indicated that ACE trained CNAs …

Music As A Modality To Improve Function And Participation In Occupational Therapy Services For Individual's With Alzheimer's-Dementia In Skilled Nursing Facilities, Courtney Denson

MOT Student Capstones

Currently, there is little research to support the positive effects on the use of music with individuals suffering from Alzheimer's-Dementia. For individuals with Alzheimer's-Dementia, further research is needed to explore treatment options appropriate for promoting occupational performance, and positive outcomes with participation in occupational therapy services. The following Capstone project will elaborate on an experimental study that identifies the benefits of utilizing a Music As a Modality program for individuals residing in a suburban area skilled nursing facility (SNF) that have the diagnosis of Alzheimer's-Dementia. Research completed throughout this project will help to support the need for use of music …

Occupations As An Outcome Measure In A Clinical Trial: Fragile X Syndrome And Sertraline, Michelle Beckwith, Brina Nguyen, Jennifer Sik, Kenneth Yu, Laura Greiss Hess

Student Research Posters

Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) is the most common form of inherited intellectual and developmental disability, and a known genetic cause of autism. Individuals with FXS present with deficits in cognition, social skills, behavior, language and sensory processing skills; all of which are commonly assessed through standardized and norm-referenced assessments. However, these outcome measures are sometimes not sensitive to contextually based changes in daily life. Further, there is limited research employing qualitative methods in the FXS literature. The purpose of this research was to examine family perspectives collected via semi-structured interviews as part of a randomized controlled medication trial of sertraline …

Massage Therapy In Outpatient Cancer Care: A Metropolitan Area Analysis., Virginia S. Cowen, Robin Streit Miccio, Bijal Parikh

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Massage offers cancer patients general quality of life benefits as well as alleviation of cancer-related symptoms/cancer-treatment-related symptoms including pain, anxiety, and fatigue. Little is known about whether massage is accessible to cancer patients who receive treatment in the outpatient setting and how massage is incorporated into the overall cancer treatment plan. Outpatient cancer centers (n = 78) in a single metropolitan area were included this mixed-methods project that included a systematic analysis of website information and a telephone survey. Massage was offered at only 40 centers (51.3% of total). A range of massage modalities were represented, with energy-based therapies (Reiki …

Service Provider Promising Practice: Flexible Scheduling And Creative Staffing - Kfi’S Support Solutions, Heike Boeltzig, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

Headquartered in a small rural town in northern Maine, Katahdin Friends, Inc. (KFI) provides community employment and life engagement supports, as well as home supports, to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). KFI’s services extend throughout northern and southern Maine, including the cities of Portland and Bangor. A flexible approach to staffing and support scheduling helps KFI ensure customized daily support schedules that meet individual goals. This approach also allows individuals to interact with a variety of direct support professionals, which is important for having a more engaged and meaningful life in the community. As of July 2016, KFI …

Service Provider Promising Practice: Braiding Community Employment And Life Engagement Services - Transcen’S Worklink Program, Heike Boeltzig, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

WorkLink is a program that braids community employment and life engagement services. The goal is to enable individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to work while receiving wrap-around day supports, as needed. Started in 1996, WorkLink is a program of TransCen, Inc. and is based in San Francisco. WorkLink clients do not have to give up day supports when deciding to pursue work. In addition to helping individuals establish and maintain meaningful community relationships, day supports are used to discover and explore vocational goals and job options. This information then helps guide individuals’ employment planning process. At WorkLink clients …

Service Provider Promising Practice: Avenues Supported Living Services: A Staffing Approach Based On Client Relationships, Heike Boeltzig, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

Avenues Supported Living Services of Valencia, California was founded in 1997 by a husband- andwife team, Scott and Lori Shepard. The agency provides supported living and community life engagement (CLE) services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Key to Avenues’ success is a staffing approach that is grounded in client relationships. The agency limits staff hours to two shifts per week with the same individual. This is done to facilitate clientstaff matching and relationship building, but also to prevent potential burnout and frustration by ensuring both the clients they support and their staff have variety in their schedules. …

Service Provider Promising Practice - Transcen’S Worklink Program: Helping Individuals Gain Work Skills Through Targeted Volunteering And Other Community Life Engagement Activities, Heike Boeltzig, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

WorkLink is a program that enables individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to work while receiving wrap-around day services. Having access to both types of supports -- community employment and Community Life Engagement (CLE) -- is particularly important for individuals with significant IDD, who often work fewer hours and need additional support to lead active and meaningful lives. The program was started in 1996 by TransCen, Inc., and is based in San Francisco, California. Day services not only help individuals establish and maintain meaningful community relationships, but also let them build important skills as they explore vocational goals and …

Disability, Mobility & Society [Physical Therapist Assistant Program], Clarence Chan, Debra Engel, May Tom

Open Educational Resources

Disability, Mobility, & Society is a newly developed assignment for a required level II physical therapy course (SCT 221). It is aimed to familiarize students with the psychosocial and socioeconomic challenges faced by people with physical disability/dysfunction and their immediate community. Students work in teams to develop multimedia pre-recorded video presentations based on actual clinical case studies. Each team will identify and discuss issues related to the specific pathology and impairment, and consider the medical/social/behavioral/financial implications for the individual and the society. The team must present a course of physical therapy intervention that illustrates clinical competence and professional standard of …

Mobility Limitations And Fear Of Falling In Non-English Speaking Older Mexican-Americans, Eric G. James, Phillip Conatser, Murat Karabulut, Suzanne G. Leveille, Jeffrey M. Hausdorff, Sarah Cote, Katherine L. Tucker, Bruce Barton, Jonathan F. Bean, Soham Al Snih, Kyriakos S. Markides

Health & Human Performance Faculty Publications

Objective: To determine whether older Mexican-Americans who cannot speak and/or understand spoken English have higher rates of mobility limitations or fear of falling than their English-speaking counterparts.

Design: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of 1169 community-dwelling Mexican-Americans aged 72–96 years from the 2000–2001 wave of the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly. Mobility limitations were defined as having a Short Physical Performance Battery score ≤9, and fear of falling by participant report of being somewhat, fairly, or very afraid of falling. We determined the rates and odds ratios, for having mobility limitations and fear of falling …