Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

The Essential Characteristics Of Successful Organizational Transformation: Findings From A Delphi Panel Of Experts, Oliver Lyons, Jaimie Ciulla Timmons, Allison Cohen Hall, Stephanie Leblois, Thinkwork! At The Institute For Community Inclusion At Umass Boston

ThinkWork! Publications

BACKGROUND: Federal legislation has called for the phasing out of sheltered workshops and the transition to integrated employment, causing providers to struggle with how to adapt their model towards providing community integration services.

Tips For Allied Health Professionals To Successfully Engage With Research: A Commentary, Siti Nurliyana Abdullah, Saravana Kumar

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

While allied health professionals are encouraged to engage with research, there are numerous challenges to do so in practice. In this commentary, we reflect on some of these challenges and provide some simple tips on strategies that can be used by allied health professionals to overcome these challenges. These tips may provide a starting point for allied health professionals to successfully engage with research.

Force Steadiness During A Cognitively Challenging Motor Task Is Predicted By Executive Function In Older Adults, Hugo M. Pereira, Bonnie A. Schlinder-Delap Mrs., Kristy A. Nielson, Sandra K. Hunter

Exercise Science Faculty Research and Publications

Motor performance and cognitive function both decline with aging. Older adults for example are usually less steady for a constant-force task than young adults when performing low-intensity contractions with limb muscles. Healthy older adults can also show varying degrees of cognitive decline, particularly in executive function skills. It is not known, however, whether age-related changes in steadiness of low-force tasks and cognitive function are independent of one another. In this study, we determined if executive function skills in aging are associated with the steadiness during a low-force muscle contraction performed with and without the imposition of a cognitive challenge. We …

Integrating Art And Narrative To Enhance Quality Of Life In Palliative Care, Jennifer Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Lacie Lee Wallace, a mixed-media artist from Wheeling, West Virginia, is featured on the cover of the Fall 2018 issue of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). The photograph depicts Lacie holding a self-portrait painted by artist CeCey Rose. Lacie’s physical appearance in the photograph is strikingly different from the physical appearance of the woman featured in the painting. The portrait was created 4 years before Lacie was diagnosed with advanced stage colon cancer. In the year following the diagnosis, Lacie lost nearly 100 lbs. as a result of an aggressive treatment regimen. When the palliative care team at …

Critical Reflections On Self-Management Support In Chronic Disease: The Value Of Occupational Therapy In Health Promotion, Brocha Z. Stern

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

The Biopsychosocial Model: Application To Occupational Therapy Practice, Keith Gentry, Karen Snyder, Beth Barstow, Jordan Hamson-Utley

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Despite the call for the profession to embrace a more integrated and holistic approach to practice, therapists may be faced with practical challenges, including issues relating to client caseloads, productivity demands, scheduling, entrenched practices, limitations on service imposed by payer sources, and staffing and budgetary restraints, to name but a few. Due to these limitations, current occupational therapy practice may be predisposed to adopt a more reductive approach to the evaluation and treatment of symptoms, underlying biological pathologies, and resulting impairments and disabilities. Therefore, psychological and social factors may be neglected, resulting in an unbalanced, fragmented, and incomplete approach to …

Use Of A Journal Club During Level Ii Fieldwork To Facilitate Confidence And Skills For Evidence-Based Practice, Kelly A. Lavin

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Level II fieldwork students should have an opportunity to engage in the process of evidence-based practice (EBP) firsthand; however, ensuring that EBP is visible to students is often a challenge for fieldwork educators. This study investigated if the use of a journal club during a Level II, psychosocial fieldwork placement would increase the students’ confidence and perceived abilities in using skills required for EBP. A descriptive study via survey design was used for the study. The participants consisted of two cohorts (n = 10) of occupational therapy graduate students. The results indicate that the students perceived an increase in their …

Hearing Voices Simulation: Impact On Occupational Therapy Students, Rebecca Ozelie, Paige Panfil, Nicole Swiderski, Elizabeth Walz

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Auditory hallucinations, which are symptoms of schizophrenia, can significantly disrupt individuals’ daily lives. Occupational therapists (OTs) can address both the daily needs of people with schizophrenia and address cultural stigmas against mental illness. To combat stigma and increase empathy for patients with mental illnesses, auditory hallucinations simulations were developed. The purpose of this study was to determine if the Hearing Voices That Are Distressing (HVTAD) Simulation impacts OT students’ attitudes toward patients with auditory hallucinations and to explore the students’ perceptions of the simulation’s effectiveness as a teaching method. The participants completed a pretest Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ) …

International Occupational Therapy Faculty Perceptions Regarding Doctoral Level Education, Bernadette Mineo, Beth Hathaway, Monali Kadkade

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Over the past decade a debate has ensued in the US regarding the clinical doctorate in occupational therapy (OT) and whether to require a doctorate to become an occupational therapist. Little discussion has occurred regarding the potential implications on the global community of occupational therapists, and there have been no attempts to ascertain the views of international OT faculty and practitioners. This study surveyed international OT faculty regarding their perceived need for and value of graduate education, particularly at the doctoral level, for OT faculty and practitioners in their countries. Fifty-three OT faculty from WFOT approved programs in eight countries …

Cross-Cultural Service Learning As Pedagogy For Character Development In Occupational Therapy Doctoral Students, Heather Y.Z. St. Peters, Nathan Short

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists must demonstrate a broad spectrum of knowledge, clinical reasoning skills, and professionalism to be effective practitioners. Development of ethical practice must begin with the educational process to shape character traits as building blocks of moral reasoning. This article puts forth a cross-cultural service learning curricular module as lived experience for development of character traits in occupational therapy students. This mixed methods study investigated lived experience in the form of cross-cultural service learning as a pedagogy for development of character traits, as measured by the CIVIC, necessary to navigate professional ethical standards. Findings suggest a cross-cultural lived experience for …

Burnout Among Filipino Occupational Therapists: A Mixed Methods Analysis, Rod Charlie Delos Reyes

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: There is a shortage of practicing occupational therapists in the Philippines, with approximately one Filipino occupational therapist per 30,000 stakeholders. One of the possible consequences is the experience of burnout among therapists.

Method: A two-phase mixed methods study using a sequential explanatory approach was used. The first phase involved the administration of the Maslach Burnout Inventory – Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) with a survey questionnaire that supplied demographic and work-related factors through an online platform. The results were analyzed using frequency distribution and measures of central tendency. Relationships were analyzed using Spearman’s Rho and Cramer’s V. The second phase …

Exploring Parents’ Experiences Of Raising A Child With Sensorimotor Impairments And Expectations For Leisure Participation, Emily A. Eicher, Camille Skubik-Peplaski, Shirley P. O'Brien, Anne Fleischer

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The objective of this descriptive study was to study parents’ experiences of raising a child with sensorimotor impairments and how leisure pursuits impact their expectations of their children. The development and participation in leisure activities is different for these children and could affect the parents’ hopes and dreams for their child’s future.

Method: Six children between 5 and 8 years of age, with sensorimotor impairments, participated in a movement program that was held for eight sessions at an outpatient pediatric clinic to address praxis and sensory processing impairments. Six parent dyads were interviewed during the fifth, sixth, …

Medication Management In Home Health Care Occupational Therapy Practice, Julie Blum, Jennifer Fogo, Judith Malek-Ismail

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Many community-dwelling adults do not adhere to their medication regimen, which results in high rates of emergency department visits and subsequent hospital admissions. Occupational therapists, as members of the home health care team, provide medication management in the occupational therapy scope of practice. There is sparse information in the literature regarding occupational therapists’ involvement in medication management in home health care practice.

Methods: The researchers interviewed nine occupational therapists practicing in home health care. Using a qualitative interpretive phenomenological study, the researchers explored the participants’ experiences addressing medication management.

Results: The researchers identified three themes: professional reasoning, interprofessional involvement, …

Quality Of Life, Stress Perception, And Quality Of Social Networks In Persons Living With Brain Injury: An Exploration Of The Effectiveness Of A Community-Based Program, Barbara P. White, Abigail Brinkman, Barbara P. Kresge, Lisa Couture

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This paper examines specific program elements of a community-based program for individuals living with brain injury. Results from a previous study suggested that members who attended regularly reported lower stress perception, higher quality of life perception, and higher social connectedness than did peers living in the community without such supports. In this study, we sought to understand reasons for their perceptions about how the program may have been helpful in shaping their perspectives of living with the effects of brain injury.

Methods: An explanatory case-study approach was applied, using multiple cases. Nine individuals were randomly selected from a subsample …

Concept Mapping And The Co-Op Approach With Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Exploring Participant Experiences, Jessie Wilson, Angela Mandich, Lilian Magalhaes, Kaity Gain

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: To explore the experiences of adolescents with ASD participating in a novel occupationally based intervention.

Methods: The intervention used concept mapping in combination with the CO-OP approach with 10 adolescents with ASD in a 4-week program focused on developing life skills they deemed as important in their transition to adulthood. A descriptive qualitative approach was employed using deductive thematic analysis informed by Self-Determination Theory and occupationally relevant theoretical frameworks. This study is part of a larger feasibility project and focuses on the analysis of participant reflections and researcher field notes.

Results: Five themes emerged: finding a sense of balance …

Challenges And Resources Available For Mothers In Opiate Recovery: A Qualitative Study, Michelle A. Suarez, Wendy Horton-Bierema, Caitlyn E. Bodine

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Opiate abuse and addiction in women during childbearing years has led to a sharp increase in neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Babies born with NAS are at risk for significant health and developmental deficits. Through understanding the challenges experienced by mothers in opiate recovery, and the resources available to this group, sensitive and effective treatment can be developed to ameliorate the impact of NAS on the child and the family.

Method: This qualitative interview study provides insight into the experience of becoming a mother for women in opiate recovery.

Results: Themes from the interviews include deep love …

Decolonialism In The Profession: Reflections From Wfot, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Kinematic Analysis Of The Volleyball Swing Block, Maya Jeffcoat-Troy, Sam Kane

EXSI 432/532: Research Methods in Exercise Science: Research Proposal Posters

The main purpose of the kinematic analysis of the swing block is to assess the sequence of this movement and identify the key movements that allow the swing block to be executed efficiently.

Kinesiology Of A Baseball Swing, C.J. White, Brody Rollins, Jack Hoey

EXSI 432/532: Research Methods in Exercise Science: Research Proposal Posters

The purpose of this analysis is to provide feedback of optimal swing analytics that will produce maximal force and the best results in a sport setting.

Comparing Power And Endurance Athletes In The Wingate Test, Micah Balltzglier, Antwann Mccray, Jacob Wall, Megan Wortman

EXSI 432/532: Research Methods in Exercise Science: Research Proposal Posters

The outcome of the Wingate test will be investigated for both power and endurance athletes in regards to physiological adaptations as a response to power and endurance training. It is hypothesized that throughout the Wingate testing, endurance athletes will display greater recovery heart rates and lower blood pressure values due to their superior aerobic capacity. However, power athletes will maintain a lower overall percent of maximum heart rate reached, as well as lower RPE values due to superior adaptations in the creatine-phosphate, lactate clearing, and anaerobic energy systems.

Submaximal Exercise Performance In Fasted Vs. Non-Fasted Individuals, Tia Howell, Kaylin Schuda, Morgan Murphy, Zach Lovelace

EXSI 432/532: Research Methods in Exercise Science: Research Proposal Posters

The purpose of this study is to compare exercise performance and substrate utilization in fasted and non-fasted, healthy college students during submaximal exercise on the leg ergometer. It was hypothesized that consuming a meal prior to submaximal exercise will yield a higher RER value compared to fasting at least three hours prior to the start of exercise.

The New Hero Of Upper Limb Prosthetics, Erin Miskell

Biology: Student Scholarship & Creative Works

This paper looks at the history and future of upper extremity prosthesis. The goal of this paper was to compare three different up and coming technological advances in the field of prosthesis that may help the devices to become more life-like for their users. Of the three different approaches looked at, the Open Bionics Hero Arm is praised as being the best option.

The Use Of Neuromuscular Electrical Simulation In Glenohumeral Unidirectional Instability When An Exercise-Based Approach Has Failed: A Case Study, Kunal Bhanot, Navpreet Kaur, J Butler

Physical Therapy Collection

Purpose of this case study was to report the role of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) to restore strength and normal motion in a patient with unidirectional shoulder instability or glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD).

Layout Movement Analysis, Lauren Bishop, Chris Clary, Anna Henderson

EXSI 432/532: Research Methods in Exercise Science: Research Proposal Posters

No abstract provided.

Knee Angles During A Walking Gait Analysis, Savannah Hollifield, Karlee Moore

EXSI 432/532: Research Methods in Exercise Science: Research Proposal Posters

The purpose is to determine how knee angles change during specific stages of the walking gait compared to research. The subject is a young, healthy, moderately active adult, so it is hypothesized that the subject’s knee angle change during each stage will fall within the range of a healthy adult’s walking gait.

Cycle Ergometer Vo2 Max Test (Male Vs. Female Athlete And Male Vs. Female Non-Athlete), Eric Jamison, Adonus Lee, Kira Ramsey, Brandon Thoms

EXSI 432/532: Research Methods in Exercise Science: Research Proposal Posters

The research question posed is, how does relative VO2 of males or females compare to each other? Research has shown that males will have an overall higher VO2 than females. Also, trained individuals will have a higher VO2 than those who are untrained. The purpose of this study is conduct VO2 max tests on trained and untrained males and female to observe the differences in VO2. If the subject is a male, then the VO2 will be higher than the females regardless of training.

Biomechanical Analysis Of Streamline And The Breakout Of A Butterfly Stroke, Courtney Kanetzke, Lindsey Wright

EXSI 432/532: Research Methods in Exercise Science: Research Proposal Posters

The butterfly stroke can be broken down into five main components: the initial glide phase, kicking phase, catch phase, front and back sweep phase, and recovery phase. The subject is a 20-year-old female collegiate swimmer. The purpose of this analysis is to differentiate the various stages streamline and the initiation of the butterfly stroke, and evaluate each step using kinematics.

Mechanics Of Ball Striking, Kylie Ameres, Kayla Curatolo, Jordan Vitale

EXSI 432/532: Research Methods in Exercise Science: Research Proposal Posters

No abstract provided.

A Correlational Study Of Resting Metabolic Rate, Kylie Ameres, Savannah Hollifield, Courtney Kanetzke, Jordan Vitale, Lindsey Wright

EXSI 432/532: Research Methods in Exercise Science: Research Proposal Posters

In this experiment, four young adults with various anthropometric measurements completed RMR tests. The purpose of this experiment is to find to what extent RMR increases in relation to FFM, BMI, height and weight. It is hypothesized that a higher RMR is associated with a higher FFM, and RMR will not indicate a strong correlation with the other variables.

Analysis Of The Volleyball Jump Serve, Molly Landry, Brandon Shull, Kaylee Wacaster

EXSI 432/532: Research Methods in Exercise Science: Research Proposal Posters

The purpose of the analysis is to provide feedback from volleyball experts and statistics to the athlete performing a dynamic jump serve.