Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

Developing The Change Agent Competencies Of Occupational Therapy University Students: Using A Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning Approach In A Canadian Program, Étienne Lavoie-Trudeau, Tim Dubé, Michaël Beaudoin, Annie Carrier

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Canadian occupational therapy (OT) university programs must teach change agent competencies. These include promoting social justice and empowering clients, which United States occupational therapists also do. Change agent competency requirements are challenging to teach and involve multidisciplinary knowledge and non-traditional skills. As few occupational therapists feel competent to act as change agents, university programs must engage in a scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) approach and identify areas of improvement. The aim of this study, informed by SoTL, was to document, as described by participants, the pedagogical activities related to teaching the change agent role in an OT program in …

Understanding Occupational Therapy Admissions Decisions Related To Diversity, Bridget J. Hahn, Hillary Napier, June Park, Abigail Woollacott, Rachel Lee, Linda M. Olson

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The vast majority of occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are white, leaving gaps between the representation of our profession and those we serve. Admission practices determine the future of the profession. This cross-sectional study aimed to understand how admission requirements, particularly the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and interview, influenced OT graduate students' application decisions, specifically those who identified as a first-generation college student (FGCS), underrepresented minority, English as a second language, or receiving public assistance. Methods included an online survey distributed to current OT graduate students. The survey consisted of background information, closed-ended questions on influence of application requirements, open-ended questions …

Exploring Supports And Barriers To Inclusion In Occupational Therapy Education, Arielle Ramirez, Anne F. Kiraly-Alvarez

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

The recent innumerable social and racial injustices and healthcare disparities experienced globally have catapulted diversity and inclusion discussions to the forefront. The purpose of this study was to identify the supports and barriers to inclusion in occupational therapy (OT) education from the experiences of OT students from historically marginalized groups and the perspectives of OT faculty/staff. The authors used a convergent mixed methods design for the study, which consisted of an online survey and semi-structured interviews. 131 students and 35 faculty/staff completed the survey, while 20 students and 11 faculty completed interviews. Five themes emerged from the data: 1) Barriers …

Cardiorespiratory And Metabolic Responses To Low-Intensity Blood-Flow Restricted Running, Violet E. Sullivan, Amanda P. Ares, Summer B. Cook Ph.D.

Honors Theses and Capstones

Low-intensity (LI) aerobic exercise with blood-flow restriction (BFR) increases heart rate (HR), oxygen consumption (VO₂), and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE), sometimes to similar levels as high-intensity (HI) exercise. Distance runners may benefit from LI-BFR running in periods of reduced volume or intensity, possibly due to injury. PURPOSE: To compare HR, VO₂, blood lactate (BLa), and RPE during LI-BFR running and HI running without BFR. METHODS: Fifteen female distance runners (age 23+4yrs, height 1.67+0.50m, body mass 57.6+5.7kg, VO₂max 51.0+4.5mL•kg^-1•min^-1) completed three randomized 12-minute running conditions: LI control (40% VO_{2 …}

The How To’S For Engaging With Medically Complex Children: A Resource Guide, Allyson Bourque

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of this scholarly project is to identify and address the factors that serve as barriers to engagement in valued occupations for children with serious or life-threatening illness.

The Ambassador Program: Improving Functional Community Participation For Individuals With Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, Kathryn Elizabeth College

Occupational Therapy Capstones

This scholarly project aims to create more functional engagement opportunities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) in a community setting. Individuals with ID/DD experience a multitude of barriers when attempting to become active members of the community and engage in meaningful opportunities and social interactions (Doerpinghaus et al., 2022; Trembath et al., 2010). These barriers can include a lack of individualized support, low self-esteem, difficulty finding valuable volunteer experiences, and a prejudice in community settings (Milot et al., 2020; Trembath et al., 2010).

Addressing Interoceptive Awareness In Elementary School Students Affected By Childhood Trauma To Improve Emotional Regulation, Alison O’Sadnick

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Childhood trauma can affect students’ interoceptive awareness affecting their ability to emotionally regulate within the classroom environment (Neal, 2021). Evidence demonstrates that for students to emotionally regulate, they must have interoceptive awareness (Mahler, 2020). Interoceptive awareness is described as the ability to detect the physiological state of the body such as recognizing signals of respiratory effort, temperature, fatigue, hunger, thirst, satiety, pain, muscle aches, and heart rate (Mahler et al., 2022). Children who have experienced trauma commonly have difficulty identifying and describing internal arousal states, labeling, and expressing emotions and making their needs and wants to be known (Scaffa, 2019).

A Proactive Approach To Lymphedema Treatment: A Patient’S Educational Guide, Bridget Jae Reuss

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Lymphedema affects between 90 and 250 million people worldwide, yet there is little information about it, and it is poorly understood by the medical community (Manrique et al., 2022). This too often results in patients not receiving proactive treatment for their symptoms. Proactive intervention increases the patient’s ability to engage in meaningful occupations, socialization, quality of life, mobility, and confidence (Dominick et al., 2014; Lu et al., 2015; Warren et al., 2007; Yarmohammadi et al., 2021).

Integrating Occupation-Based Activity Groups In The Earlyelementary School Setting, Krista Rae Weiland

Occupational Therapy Capstones

In the early-elementary school curriculum, foundational skills are established to promote success in education and beyond. With limited remediation opportunities in the areas of fine motor and social skills, students are not receiving adequate resources to foster academic success. Students who demonstrate deficits in fine motor and social skills are prone to negative peer and teacher perception, a lack of self-esteem, decreased mental flexibility, and an inability to communicate knowledge effectively (Case-Smith et al., 2014; Lust & Donica, 2011; Taverna et al., 2020). These adverse consequences often result in a negative attitude towards school and low academic performance, which may …

How Adaptive Sports Promote Occupational Engagement And Quality Of Life For Individuals With Disabilities In A Rural Community, Michael Helgeson

Frank Low Research Day Posters

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project is to address the barriers individuals with physical disabilities face through the development of adaptive sports programs; hereby, increasing their occupational engagement, quality of life (QOL), and life satisfaction.

Background: Individuals with disabilities, compared to the general population, have diminished health and QOL due to limited community participation and occupational engagement (Yazicioglu et al., 2012). Adaptive sports have shown to increase QOL and well-being for individuals with physical disabilities (Brown et al., 2021; Yazicioglu et al., 2012). Although, this population, specifically in rural communities, face many barriers to adaptive sports engagement including …

Program Structure For Children And Adolescents With Disabilities To Increase Participation In Physical Activity, Abbigail Smith

Frank Low Research Day Posters

Background: Children and adolescents with disabilities face barriers and are often excluded from engaging in daily activities such as physical activity and social participation (Bundy & Du Toit, 2019; Hocking, 2019). Activities such as physical activity and social participation not only increase children's and adolescents' sense of belonging, mental health, and quality of life but also impact the development of skills needed to fully engage in society (Bundy & Du Toit, 2019). Opportunities for children and adolescents with disabilities to engage in physical activity and social participation are commonly seen in the form of programs supported by nonprofit organizations. These …

An Occupation-Based Approach To Chronic Pain In Rural Alaska, Emma Lehman

Frank Low Research Day Posters

Background: Adults with chronic pain living in rural communities experience occupational deprivation due to a lack of access to healthcare resources and tend to report higher levels of pain compared to urban areas [4, 8]. Chronic pain is multifaceted and managed by many professionals. Occupational therapy (OT) has a significant role in offering effective strategies to improve quality of life, self-efficacy, and daily functioning for those who experience chronic pain [5, 7].

Purpose: The purpose of this scholarly project was to advocate for the profession of occupational therapy within rural Alaska areas as well as develop an evidence-based, model-driven, culturally …

Submitting Research Grant Applications To Fund A Study Examining The Effect Of Equine-Assisted Therapy On Compassion Fatigue In Caregivers, Briana Minette Kent

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Caregivers are expected to provide the best care possible to their patients, no matter the circumstances. Depending on the need of the individual being cared for, a caregiver’s job can cause an abundance of stress at various levels and can even lead to decreased mental health. This is often accompanied by a lack of self-care, poor health, and overall diminished wellness, otherwise known as compassion fatigue. Occupational therapists can address poor mental health due to compassion fatigue in caregivers by introducing a variety of important skills, habits, routines, and activities that patients need or want to engage in on a …

Fostering A Loving Connection: A Foster Parent’S Toolkit For Understanding And Addressing Behaviors For Children Placed In Out-Of-Home Care, Emily A. Knust

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Children placed in out-of-home care have an 80% chance of having a mental health diagnosis or experiencing negative behaviors related to trauma experiences (Armstrong-Hiemsoth et al., 2020). Children in foster care have been exposed to trauma by being removed from their biological parents and the abuse, neglect, or unsafe conditions that occurred leading up to the removal and placement in out-of-home care (Bartlett, 2021). From this trauma, a child is more likely to experience difficulty with basic self-care skills, executive functioning, emotional regulation, attachment disorders, or positive interactions and relationships within the foster home and their environment (Pervis et al., …

The Impact Of Trauma On Occupational Performance For People Experiencing Homelessness, Isabella Jeanette Johannes

Occupational Therapy Capstones

People transitioning from homelessness experience trauma at three times the risk than the general population (McCurry, 2021). Occupational therapy can provide trauma-informed services that helps people that have experienced homelessness transition to supported housing by addressing occupational competence and identity formation through meaningful activity (McCurry, 2021). Occupational therapy can address this area by educating staff and students that work with this population to be more trauma- informed. It is important to utilize a trauma-informed approach to avoid retraumatization to people that have experienced homelessness (AOTA, 2021). There were two purposes of this project: a) develop advanced knowledge in trauma-informed care, …

Primitive Reflex Screening And Caregiver Education And Support. A Product To Support Children With Retained Primitive Reflexes Transitioning Into The Formal Education System., Anna Justine Logan

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Infants are born with movement patterns called primitive reflexes. Primitive reflexes are active for approximate times during the first few years of life (Smet et al, 2020; Myott et al., 2016). Retained primitive reflexes are primitive reflexes that have not integrated in the expected time. Retained primitive reflexes have been linked to a variety of developmental delays in older children including fine and gross motor (Gieysztor et al., 2018a), visual (Andrich et al., 2018), and academic performance (Feldhacker et al., 2021; Calvin & Ramli, 2020).

Trauma-Informed Behavioral Health Leadership And Employee Engagement At A Child Advocacy Center, Andrew Krantz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee engagement is essential for an organization to meet its mission and vision. When employees are not engaged, there are higher levels of turnover, secondary traumatic stress, and burnout. Furthermore, when employees are not engaged, there is a decrease in the quality of patient care. Behavioral health leaders can positively impact employee engagement by engaging in trauma-informed behavioral health leadership. This qualitative case study reviews the impact of trauma-informed behavioral health leadership on employee engagement at a large Child Advocacy Center in the northeastern United States who was struggling with low levels of employee engagement and high levels of turnover …

Admission Timing, Age, Sex, Pain, And Disability As Outcome Predictors Of Short-Term Pain Programs, Nanesha Courtney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found that age, sex, education level, and pretreatment pain levels may be significant predictors of patient outcomes; however, it remained unknown whether the timing of treatment predicts pain and disability after a multidisciplinary short-term intensive pain treatment program. The purpose of this quantitative nonexperimental study was to use archival data to examine whether the timing of entry into a multidisciplinary short-term intensive pain treatment program predicted pain and functioning levels at posttreatment. Glasser’s choice theory was used to examine whether the combined effect of pretreatment pain, occupational disability level, age, sex, education level, and time of entrance predicted …

High-Definition Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation For Upper Extremity Rehabilitation In Moderate-To-Severe Ischemic Stroke: A Pilot Study, Jordan N Williamson, Shirley A James, Dorothy He, Sheng Li, Evgeny V Sidorov, Yuan Yang

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction: Previous studies found that post-stroke motor impairments are associated with damage to the lesioned corticospinal tract (CST) and hyperexcitability of the contralesional cortico-reticulospinal tract (CRST). This proof-of-concept study aims to develop a non-invasive brain stimulation protocol that facilitates the lesioned CST and inhibits the contralesional CRST to improve upper extremity rehabilitation in individuals with moderate-to-severe motor impairments post-stroke.

Methods: Fourteen individuals (minimum 3 months post ischemic stroke) consented. Physician decision of the participants baseline assessment qualified eight to continue in a randomized, double-blind cross-over pilot trial (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05174949) with: (1) anodal high-definition transcranial direct stimulation (HD-tDCS) over …

Black/African American Men’S Lived Experiences Of Workplace Colorism Bullying, Dr. Benjamin K. Spady Ph.D

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying in the U.S. workplace is an ongoing issue that transcends industry boundaries due to perpetrators’ ineffectiveness in viewing all coworkers as equals. The purpose of this qualitative interpretative phenomenological analysis study was to explore the lived experiences of Black/African American men who endure workplace colorism bullying. Critical race theory provided the conceptual framework, which labeled racism as an omnipresent systemic force. Semistructured interview data were collected from six Black/African American men who resided in the United States and who were bullied in the workplace within the past 20 years. Data were coded via open coding to discover themes. The …

Level I Fieldwork: Could Simulation Be The Answer? A Descriptive Study, Darla Coss, Stephanie De Sam Lazaro, Katelyn Brady

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

This article describes the creation and outcomes of simulation as Level I Fieldwork for entry level graduate occupational therapy students. The simulations were created by a team of interprofessional educators following the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning best practices. Additionally, the simulations were designed to meet the student learning outcomes of Level I Fieldwork. Students participated in eight high-fidelity simulations and were evaluated with self-ratings, peer ratings, and faculty ratings. Each student completed a student evaluation of the fieldwork experience, with rating scales and open-ended questions to understand student perceptions of the experience. The vast majority of …

Gender Career Stereotypes, Implicit Bias, And Occupational Therapy, Laura H. Vanpuymbrouck, Carli Friedman

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Implicit (unconscious) gender bias and stereotypes can affect clinical decisions and interactions between healthcare professionals, as well as impact careers. However, there is no research exploring the implicit gender bias or stereotypes of occupational therapy students or practitioners. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the gender-career bias of occupational therapy students. To do so, occupational therapy students (n = 54) from three Midwestern United States graduate occupational therapy programs completed the gender-career attitudes implicit association test (IAT) – biases associating women with family, and men with career – as well as a survey polling demographic information. …

Effects Of Mckenzie’S Neck Exercise On Pain, Craniovertebral Angle, Strength And Endurance Of Deep Neck Flexor Muscles, And Disability In Individuals With Chronic Neck Pain, Sawita Chaiyawijit

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Purpose: To compare the effectiveness of McKenzie’s neck exercise and cranio-cervical flexion (CCF) exercise on strength and endurance of deep neck flexor (DNF) muscles, pain, disability, and craniovertebral angle (CVA) in individuals with chronic neck pain. Methods: Forty individuals with chronic neck pain were randomly allocated to the McKenzie’s neck or CCF exercise group. Each group performed exercises at home daily. The strength and endurance of DNF muscles were measured at baseline, immediately after the first exercise session, and each week follow-up for six weeks. Average pain over the past week was measured at baseline and each week follow-up for …

Effects Of A Game On A Smartphone (“Pilotgold”)To Prevent Non-Specific Neck Pain Among Office Workers:A 6-Month Cluster-Randomised Controlled Trial, Natchanon Intipanya

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a smartphone game for active neck movement exercise on perceived neck discomfort, new onset neck pain, and active cervical range of motion (ROM) among high-risk office workers. Methods: A 6-month prospective cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 100 healthy but high-risk office workers from nine organizations. They were randomly assigned at the cluster level into either the intervention group (n = 50), who received a smartphone game to play twice a day on workdays for 6 months, or the control group (n = 50), who received a placebo seat pad to use while sitting. …

Comparison Of The Effects Of Dynamic Seat Cushion At Low Back And Buttocks On The Number Of Postural Shifts And Body Perceived Discomfort In Office Workers, Narumon Roynarin

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

This study compared the number of postural shifts and body perceived discomfort while leaning and sitting on air-filled seat cushion for 1-hour in healthy office workers. Sixty office workers typed a standard text at a computer workstation for an hour in three sitting conditions: leaning on a seat cushion placing behind the low back, sitting on a seat cushion placing under the buttocks, and sitting without a seat cushion (a control condition). The number of postural shifts, average pressure (AP), peak pressure (PP), and frequency of sitting posture were collected using a seat pressure mat device. Body perceived discomfort at …

Moving Toward And Accessing Adult-Oriented Rehabilitation Therapy Services For Adults With Lifelong Disabilities: A Tale Of Three Studies, Catherine Gohrband

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

The aim of this dissertation was to explore how adults with a Lifelong Disability (LLD) access and experience rehabilitation therapy services across their lives. Many LLD diagnoses such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida are considered non-progressive; however, there are common challenges that occur as people with LLD become adults, including increased pain, fatigue, and functional loss. Literature addressing the needs of people with LLD to access adult-oriented medical providers has focused primarily on medical transitions, which have described the processes for pediatric patients moving to adult-oriented settings from pediatric settings. Few studies have addressed the rehabilitation therapy needs of …

Blood Flow Restrictive Training Following Medial Patellofemoral Ligament And Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Rehabilitation, Richard Watson

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

Both patellofemoral dislocation and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures have a significant impact on an athlete’s ability to regain function and return to play. Surgical repair of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) and ACL ligament reconstructions result in a sequala of quadriceps weakness. Persistent quadriceps weakness following reconstruction can create a cascade effect of muscular atrophy and weakness resulting in significant knee and leg impairments. An abundance of research has shown that blood flow restrictive training (BFRT) has demonstrated significant results in post-surgical rehabilitation by increasing muscular strength and improving function. What is unclear is the effect of deflating or …

Developing Ecologically Valid Clinical Tools For Persons With Tbi: Understanding The Role And Impact Of Distractions, Deanna Pinnow

Theses and Dissertations--Rehabilitation Sciences

There is a critical need for the development of ecologically valid clinical tools to assess real-life cognitive functioning in persons impacted by traumatic brain injury (TBI). Chronic cognitive impairments that are exacerbated by distractions are one of the core factors contributing to poor home and community re-integration post injury. Simulation-based digital platforms (i.e., virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality) have become potential solutions for eliciting real-world cognitive performance in clinical settings. Yet, there is a paucity of research investigating the role and impact of distractions on cognition. As a result, there is no clear framework of measuring distractions to …

Development Of Wellness And Nutrition Through The Use Of Gardening, Josie Anhorn

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The population of older adults has been rising exponentially in recent years (Duffin, 2022), leading to an influx in people moving into retirement or independent living communities. This transition may cause many changes in the new residents’ occupational participation and overall well-being. Research has shown specific areas of concern in socialization, nutrition, self-esteem, physical abilities, and continued participation in meaningful occupations (Holland et al., 2017; Knecht-Sabres et al., 2020; Smith, 2015; Sommerfeld et al., 2018; Swann, 2006; Swann, 2010). Gardening has been shown to positively impact these areas of health and well-being and ease some of the negative symptoms (Thompson, …

Let’S Groove: A Dance Program Designed For Children With Disabilities, Michayla Burckhard

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Children with disabilities face limited opportunities to participate in the occupation of dance when compared to opportunities available for their non-disabled peers. Barriers to their participation include lack of class opportunities, cost, and knowledge about programs (Carrion et al., 2018). Many dance studios offer integrated or non-specialized classes, but participation by a child with a disability in this type of class is sometimes limited by parental or child fears, or other barriers such as lack of accommodations (Lucas, 2017).