Rehabilitation and Therapy Commons^™

The Role Of Occupational Therapy For Homeless Women And Women At-Risk Of Homelessness, Kelcey Storkersen, Susan Macdermott, Becki Cohill

Summer 2020 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

This capstone project is focused on assessing the occupational needs and barriers of women at-risk of homelessness at a resource center. A needs assessment, facility observations, and research study were conducted to identify population needs and create a client-centered program for offering occupational enrichment to these women at CMOH.

Occupation-Based Programming For Survivors Of Human Trafficking, Breann H. Paul, Becki Cohill, Susan Macdermott

Summer 2020 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Occupational therapists have an essential role in overcoming the gaps in maternal health care by providing the necessary support to both mothers and children. There is currently limited research on the unique needs of survivors of human trafficking who are mothers, especially their psychosocial needs. Survivors of human trafficking may experience severe trauma, physical violence, long-term emotional distress, and health problems. Therefore, it is essential that survivors of human trafficking are provided the appropriate resources, education, support, and guidance throughout the transition to motherhood and this life changing role. The program created for this population focuses on the occupational needs …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Assisting With Community Reintegration For Survivors Of Human Trafficking, Jane Huynh, Becki Cohill, Susan Macdermott

Summer 2020 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Victims of human trafficking were exposed to traumatic experiences that affected their physical, psychological, cognitive, and social health. As the survivors entered the healing stage and progressed in their journey to community reintegration, the complex traumatic experiences may affect their independence with occupational tasks. This capstone explored the areas where occupational therapy can assist with community reintegration for survivors of human trafficking. Interviews were conducted through casual conversation using the modified-COPM as guidance, and the QOL was used to gather baseline data. Survivors identified priorities of their everyday living and the barriers to them achieving their goals: education, vocation, transportation, …

Assessing The Impact Of Online Occupational Therapy Content On Professional Development For Occupational Therapists, Lisa Nguyen, Susan Macdermott, Becki Cohill

Summer 2020 Virtual OTD Capstone Symposium

Social media has provided a virtual space for occupational therapists around the world to connect and to share practical information and this type of media has great potential as a source of social support and mentorship. This project’s purpose is to assess the qualitative impact of online occupational therapy-based content among occupational therapists. Data was collected and compiled from the currently available blogs and podcasts with OT-based content. Surveys were conducted among 40 occupational therapy students and occupational therapy practitioners and five occupational therapy content creators were interviewed on their experiences producing OT-based content online. The themes that resulted from …

The Impact Of A Holistic Admissions Review Process In A Doctor Of Physical Therapy Program, Carrie Hawkins

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Holistic admissions processes in doctor of physical therapy (DPT) education programs are perceived as a means to increasing the diversity of the profession. While previous research has correlated the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to success on the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) and the grade point average (GPA) to success in the program coursework, the impact of a holistic admissions process on the academic factors or on the demographics of the applicants offered admission has not been extensively studied for DPT education programs. This study was conducted to determine if the addition of a holistic application review process rubric to …

Sound Effects On Standing Postural Strategies In The Elderly Via Frequency Analysis Approach, Yun-Ju Lee, Chang-Hsu Chen, Chao-Che Wu, Yu-Jung Chen, Jing-Nong Liang

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

Sound and sound frequency could improve postural sway in the elderly. The power spectrum intervals of the center of pressure (COP) displacement are associated with different postural regulations, which could be revealed by frequency analysis. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of sound on dual-tasking postural control and conduct frequency analysis to distinguish postural regulations in the elderly. Fifteen young and 15 older healthy participants were instructed to stand on a force platform and performed the Purdue Pegboard test while hearing 50 dB sounds with sound frequencies of 250 Hz, 1000 Hz, 4000 Hz, or no …

Acute Systemic Inflammation Reduces Both Carotid And Aortic Wave Reflection In Healthy Adults, Thessa Hilgenkamp, Elizabeth C. Schroeder, Wesley L. Lefferts, Bo Fernhall

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

Acute inflammation increases the risk of cardiac and cerebrovascular events, possibly related to alterations in the hemodynamic load. Wave reflection at the aorta and carotid provides insight into downstream vascular changes and hemodynamic load at the heart and brain. Acute inflammation has been suggested to reduce wave reflection via downstream vasodilation; however, this is not firmly established and has only been investigated at the aorta. We sought to explore the effect of acute inflammation on aortic and carotid hemodynamics in healthy, young adults. Pressure waveforms were collected via radial and carotid applanation tonometry in 23 adults (26 ± 4 years) …

Passive, Yet Not Inactive: Robotic Exoskeleton Walking Increases Cortical Activation Dependent On Task, Sue Peters, Shannon B. Lim, Dennis R. Louie, Chieh-Ling Yang, Janice J. Eng

Physical Therapy Publications

Background

Experimental designs using surrogate gait-like movements, such as in functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cannot fully capture the cortical activation associated with overground gait. Overground gait in a robotic exoskeleton may be an ideal tool to generate controlled sensorimotor stimulation of gait conditions like ‘active’ (i.e. user moves with the device) and ‘passive’ (i.e. user is moved by the device) gait. To truly understand these neural mechanisms, functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) would yield greater ecological validity. Thus, the aim of this experiment was to use fNIRS to delineate brain activation differences between ‘Active’ and ‘Passive’ overground gait …

Mediolateral Damping Of An Overhead Body Weight Support System Assists Stability During Treadmill Walking, M. Bannwart, S. L. Bayer, Niklas König Ignasiak, M. Bolliger, G. Rauter, C. A. Easthope

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Background

Body weight support systems with three or more degrees of freedom (3-DoF) are permissive and safe environments that provide unloading and allow unrestricted movement in any direction. This enables training of walking and balance control at an early stage in rehabilitation. Transparent systems generate a support force vector that is near vertical at all positions in the workspace to only minimally interfere with natural movement patterns. Patients with impaired balance, however, may benefit from additional mediolateral support that can be adjusted according to their capacity. An elegant solution for providing balance support might be by rendering viscous damping along …

Return To School 1 Year After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Study Using The Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems National Database, Kathryn Tarnai

Masters Theses, 2020-current

For many individuals, recovery from moderate to severe brain injuries involves returning to a level of pre-injury productivity. Specifically, previous research has focused extensively on factors predicting return to employment, where students are inconsistently categorized with those in competitive employment. Moreover, research dedicated to return to school for students in secondary and tertiary education is largely qualitative; very few studies have utilized predictive modeling on a sample composed solely of students. For this study, a model including days of post-traumatic amnesia (PTA), length of stay (LOS), rehabilitation discharge Disability Rating Scale (DRS) scores, and educational level was used to predict …

Bringing Function To Families: Ot’S Role In Parenting With Sci, Alexandra Economou, Ots, Molly Flannery, Ots, Nikki Tutelman, Ots, Courtney Wagner, Ots, Rebecca Sinko, Otd, Otr/L

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives:

• Describe participation challenges that impact the role of parenting for parents with SCI
• Identify evidence-based intervention areas within the scope of OT that facilitate participation in the role of parenting with SCI
• Discuss the unique need and application for OT services to support parents with SCI

PICO Question:

What are interventions within the scope of OT practice that increase participation in the role of parenting with spinal cord injury (SCI)?

Effect Of Unilateral Lower-Limb Amputation On Intact Limb Biomechanics: A Systematic Review, Amanda Boyd

Master's Theses

The United States will perform 30,000-40,000 amputations this year (Ertl et al., 2019). As a common medical intervention, there is extensive research regarding rehabilitation strategies and post-operative care. Many studies have explored the effects of the affected limb and prosthetic intervention yet have neglected that of the contralateral limb (De Asha et al., 2014; Jones et al., 2006; Winter & Sienko, 1988). Studies have reported an increase in secondary musculoskeletal conditions among unilateral lower-limb amputees, particularly in the intact limb, indicating the need for additional research (Gailey et al., 2008). The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate the …

Young Adults Can Learn To Predict Unexpected Posterior Perturbations Using An Auditory Cue, Huaqing Liang, Tippawan Kaewmanee, Alexander S. Aruin

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

To reduce the effect of an expected postural perturbation, central nervous system uses anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs), which include the activation and inhibition of the postural muscles and a slight shift of the center-of-pressure (COP) position. The generation of APAs majorly relies on the availability of visual information, and is learned through past experience. Hence, such protective mechanism to maintain balance is not implemented when perturbation comes from one’s back unexpectedly. Our previous work showed that young adults could rely on an auditory cue only to generate APAs for a front perturbation similar to that when vision was available. So …

Older Adults Retain The Ability To Predict External Perturbations Using Auditory Cues Only, Huaqing Liang, Tippawan Kaewmanee, Alexander S. Aruin

Physical Therapy Faculty Research

To maintain balance and prevent destabilization, humans utilize anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) prior to the postural perturbations based on predictions and past experience. APAs involve the activation and inhibition of the trunk and leg muscles and a shift of the center-of-pressure (COP) position. The generation of APAs majorly relies on the availability and accuracy of visual information. However, our previous work showed that young adults could rely on an auditory cue only to generate APAs for an external perturbation similar to that when the visual information was available. Older adults generally have diminished APAs and consequently diminished postural control when …

Application Of Self-Efficacy Training In Group Aural Rehabilitation: An Interprofessional Collaborative Model, Stephen D. Roberts, Nancy A. Delich

JADARA

Few studies have explored self-efficacy training with persons with hearing loss (PHLs), yet alone with their communication partners (CPs). The purpose of this mixed-method study was to examine the impact of self-efficacy training as a framework for an Interprofessional Psychosocial Group Aural Rehabilitation (IPGAR) workshop with PHLs and their CPs. Four PHLs and their four CPs consented to participate in the IPGAR workshop that employed interventions including short lectures, psychosocial exercises, communication strategies training, speech perception training, adaptive/stress reduction exercises, and group discussions relevant to mutually established shared goals for each couple. The participants reported improved communication abilities in the …

Promoting Coping For Adults With Neurodegenerative Conditions, Julia Kraushaar, Ots, Melanie Watt, Ots, Kristine Ismael, Ots, Julia Snavely, Ots, Adel Herge, Otd, Otr/L, Faota

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives

• Identify neurodegenerative conditions and how they impact occupational performance and quality of life (QoL)
• Describe the effects of coping skill interventions on QoL among adults with neurodegenerative conditions
• Examine the role of occupational therapy in improving QoL in adults with neurodegenerative conditions

PICO Question

Within the scope of occupational therapy, what are the effects of coping skills interventions on improving quality of life in adults with neurodegenerative conditions?

Promoting Independence: Empowering Successful Transitions Out Of The North American Foster Care System, Samantha Chong, Ots, Kevin Dang, Ots, Leondra Graves, Ots, Taylor Holt, Ots, Rebecca Sinko, Otd, Otr/L

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives

• Identify the supports and barriers of youth transitioning out of the North American foster care/foster home care systems.
• Describe occupational therapy’s current and emerging roles in life skills/IADL training with youth transitioning out of the foster care system.
• Describe the positive outcomes related to successful transitions into adulthood for foster youth.

PICO Question:

What life skills training interventions conducted by occupational therapy practitioners improve independence for youth transitioning out of the foster care system?

Empower The Future: The Impact Of Family-Centered Interventions On School Success For Children From Low Socioeconomic Backgrounds, Jacqueline Bruce, Ots, Ornella Delle Noci, Ots, Amaris Dobson, Ots, Bryan Johnston, Ots, Rebecca Sinko, Otd, Otr/L

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives

• Describe poverty’s impact on early childhood development and subsequent effects on school participation.

• Discuss evidence-based, family-centered interventions associated with increased school success for children from low-income communities.

• .Acquire the knowledge to apply effective interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice to promote improved school success.

PICO Question:

What is the impact of family-centered occupational therapy interventions on future school participation for children (0-6 years old) from low socioeconomic backgrounds?

Gaining Momentum: A Systematic Review Of Interventions To Promote Mental Health & Wellness For Mothers Postpartum, Amanda Marcinko, Ots, Lauren Opdyke, Ots, Jessica Sinotte, Ots, Emily Van’T Slot, Ots, E. Adel Herge, Otd, Otr/L, Faota

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Outcomes:

• Define participation challenges of mothers in the postpartum period.
• Discuss qualities of effective interventions within maternal mental healthcare.
• Apply effective interventions in occupational therapy practice to promote mental health and wellness of postpartum mothers.

PICO Question:

What interventions within the scope of occupational therapy practice promote mental health and wellness for women in the postpartum period?

Ready For Relationships: Promoting Appropriate Dating Behaviors In Adolescents & Young Adults With Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities, Lauren Buch, Ots, Kelly Dennin, Ots, Chelsea Fife, Ots, Eileen Mee, Ots, E. Adel Herge

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives:

• Identify the need for effective relationship, sexuality expression, and sex education programming for adolescents with IDD based on current literature.
• Examine the role of occupational therapy in facilitating the development of healthy dating behaviors for adolescents with IDD.
• Apply components of a best practice approach to facilitate the development of appropriate dating behaviors for adolescents with IDD.

PICO Question:

What interventions within the scope of occupational therapy will lead to appropriate dating behaviors in adolescents and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities?

Smooth Transitions: Adapting To New Roles For Transgender Individuals, Rylea Hager, Ots, Daniella Mazzo, Ots, Meredith O’Neal, Ots, Eileen Young, Ots, Rebecca Sinko, Otd, Otr/L

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Outcomes:

• Define transgender and understand the occupational challenges associated with the gender-affirming transition process.
• Discuss the impact of the knowledge gap in gender-inclusive care, as well as the barriers to accessing healthcare services for transgender individuals.
• Acquire knowledge from current research and apply to occupational therapy interventions for transitioning transgender individuals in the process of new role assumption

PICO Question:

How can occupational therapists utilize interventions within their scope of practice (I) to promote positive transitions to new occupational roles (O) for individuals who are transgender (P)?

Let’S Get Spiritual! How Integrating Spirituality Into The Ot Process Impacts Well-Being For Those Experiencing A Life-Altering Diagnosis, Taneisha Esplin Jolley, Ots, Jeffrey Gold, Ms, Ots, Nicholas Luca, Ots, Antôn Nguyễn, Ots, E. Adel Herge, Otd, Otr/L, Faota

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Outcomes:

• Define spirituality as it applies to the scope of occupational therapy practice for individuals experiencing life-altering diagnoses and conditions
• Describe current evidence that supports incorporating clients’ spirituality into the occupational therapy process to ensure a holistic approach to practice
• Apply spiritual-based interventions in order to achieve positive outcomes for individuals experiencing life-altering diagnoses and conditions

PICO Question:

How does incorporating spirituality within the OT process impact well-being/QOL for individuals who have experienced life-altering conditions or diagnoses?

Moving On Up: The Transition From Middle To High School For Neurotypical Adolescents, Corinne Dever, Ots, Julia Forebaugh, Ots, Alexandra Mangino, Ots, Madeline Gamble, Ots, Samantha Morse, Ots, Rebecca Sinko, Otd, Otr/L

Collaborative Research and Evidence shared Among Therapists and Educators (CREATE Day)

Objectives

• Define the role of occupational therapy for the middle to high school transition.
• Identify potential interventions within the scope of occupational therapy to facilitate the transition from middle to high school.
• Acquire the knowledge from current research to apply occupational therapy interventions to neurotypical adolescents transitioning from middle to high school.

PICO Question

What kind of (I) interventions fall within the scope of occupational therapy (O) to increase school participation for (P) neurotypical adolescents transitioning from middle school to high school?

Post-Secondary Employment And Education Outcomes Of Young Adults Reporting Both Vision And Hearing Impairments In The High School Longitudinal Study Of 2009, Emily M. Lund

JADARA

This article reports the post-secondary education and work activities of 43 young adults who reported a history of both hearing and vision disabilities (i.e., deafblindness [DB] in Wave 4 of the High School Longitudinal Study of 2009. Most of the sample reported having worked, attended post-secondary education, or both since completing secondary education. Approximately half of the sample still lived with their parents, and most reported receiving financial support from their parents. Thus, although engagement in work and education was relatively high, most participants had not achieved financial independence.

Students' Perspectives Following Involvement In A Constraint Induced Aphasia Therapy Research Project, Bridget R. Dincher, Melissa Mcgrath, Julie Griffith

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The purpose of this project was to provide a reflection on four students’ collaborative research experience implementing Constraint-Induced Aphasia Therapy and highlight the importance of student involvement in research opportunities. Guided reflections were completed and analyzed through a collaborative model to generate common themes of: 1) increased confidence in cuing and 2) adapting individualized treatment. Student engagement in clinical research enhances the quality of their educational experience by fostering clinical competence and confidence.

Self-Reflection And Screening Mental Health On Canadian Campuses: Validation Of The Mental Health Continuum Model, Shu-Ping Chen, Wen-Pin Chang, Heather Stuart

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Background

This study describes the psychometric testing of the Mental Health Continuum (MHC) model the Canadian Department of National Defense developed initially, among undergraduates of three Canadian universities. The MHC is a tool that consists of 6 items to guide students the way to attend to, or monitor, signs and behavior indicators of their mental health status and suggest appropriate actions to improve their mental health.

Methods

Online survey data were collected from 4206 undergraduate students in three universities in two Canadian provinces during the spring of 2015 and winter of 2016. Participants completed an online survey questionnaire that consisted …

Breaking Down Barriers: Utilizing Virtual Resources To Promote Occupational Balance Among Vulnerable Populations In The Midst Of A Global Pandemic, Roya Rezadoost

OTD Capstone Projects

The focus of this project was to utilize virtual media, resources, and technological advancements to create resource guidelines that facilitate the preservation of occupational balance and overall quality of life among under-served and marginalized populations during the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Increasing Access To Play: Establishing A Switch-Adapted Toy Library At Christ Presbyterian Church, Megan Moody

OTD Capstone Projects

The focus of this project was to advocate for the occupational potential of children with disabilities and promote increased access to play. This was completed through the establishment of a community-based lending library of switch-adapted toys, as well as through the creation of corresponding educational materials detailing play-based strategies for promoting development.

Variations In Slow-Wave Eeg And Working Memory Deficits During Letter Number Sequencing Task Post-Concussion, Morgan Sotoloff

Neuroscience Presentations

Concussions are associated with various types of consequences, both short-term and long-term: ranging from acute symptomatology, resting protocols, return-to-play decisions, and the lingering effects that have been found to have significant impacts on cognitive processes and function in many individuals several months post-concussion. Previous research has demonstrated that certain dimensions of executive function are especially susceptible to mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), specifically working memory and attention. Studies that have previously utilized electroencephalography (EEG), have found that increased very low frequency oscillations (VLFO) are associated with a disruption of goal-oriented activities, difficulties in cognition, hyperactivity, and inattention in concussed individuals …

The Impact Of Temporal Resolution On Clinical Decision-Making For Individuals With Dysphagia, Shauna Corinne Murray

Speech and Hearing Sciences ETDs

INTRODUCTION: Dysphagia, or a disordered swallow, affects up to 1 in 25 individuals in the United States. The gold standard for assessing dysphagia is the videofluoroscopic evaluation of swallowing (VFES). This allows the clinician to observe the swallow anatomy in motion via an X-ray movie, which historically was recorded at 30 frames per second. In recent years VFES have been performed at less frames per second due to radiation concern. This project investigates the effect of using lower temporal resolutions on assessment of video-fluoroscopic swallow studies.

METHODS: In this investigation, 30 swallow studies, all acquired at 30 frames per second, …