Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Discordance Between Self-Report And Performance-Based Measures Among At-Risk Older Adults: A Secondary Data Analysis, Chiung-Ju Liu, Wen-Pin Chang, Inga Wang

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Importance: Subtle, age-related declines in occupational performance among at-risk older adults may go undetected when assessed solely with self-report measures, potentially leading to missed intervention opportunities. Understanding discrepancies between self-reported and performance-based occupational performance outcomes can inform assessment selection and interpretation.

Objective: To examine the discrepancies between the two types of measure among community-dwelling older adults at risk for losing independence.

Design: Cross-sectional study using secondary data analysis.

Participants: Seventy-one community-dwelling older adults (M age = 74 yr, SD = 9) who showed muscle weakness and reported difficulty with activities of daily living.

Outcomes and measures: Canadian Occupational Performance Measure …

From Awareness To Integration: Leading The Change For Occupational Therapy, Shirley A. Wells

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

In her lecture for the inaugural Dr. Lela A. Llorens Award of Excellence for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Dr. Shirley A. Wells acknowledges the growing importance of creating more inclusive and equitable environments across all aspects of health care, with occupational therapy being no exception. Inclusion and integration are fundamental values that should be woven into every part of the practice of occupational therapy. It is not enough to be aware of these concepts; occupational therapists must actively engage in Acts of Inclusion and Integration in their delivery of care, collaboration with clients and colleagues, and shaping of the future …

Current Practices In Implementing The Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone Needs Assessment: A National Survey, Laurie D. Stelter, Kaitlyn Cremer, Lou Rutigliano, Leslye Morris, Lima Ghulmi, Ana Allegretti

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Entry-level occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) programs navigate curricular decisions related to designing, implementing, and refining doctoral capstone processes. One of the complex requirements is the doctoral capstone needs assessment (DCNA) which each student completes prior to the implementation of the doctoral capstone project. The researchers aimed to contribute to the specificity of DCNA-related understanding, informing quality decision-making, via a national, cross-sectional survey of current DCNA practices. Purposive sampling resulted in a 24.3% (n=54) response rate of mostly Doctoral Capstone Coordinators (DCCs; 98.1%) representing programs across doctoral capstone experience levels. The timing of DCNA processes trended toward the latter half of …

Is Functional Training Functional? A Systematic Review Of Its Effects In Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Chiung-Ju Liu, Wen-Pin Chang, Yun Chan Shin, Yi-Ling Hu, Jane Morgan-Daniel

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Age-related decline in physical and cognitive capacity increases older adults' risk of disability, long-term care placement, and mortality rate. Functional training, which uses activities of daily living or simulated movements to complete activities as the intervention medium, could be more effective than rote exercise, which uses repetitive movements without added purpose, in preventing late-life disability in older people. With a growing number of studies in this area, systematically studying the effect of functional training is needed. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the effects of functional training on the outcomes of activities of daily living, physical …

Age-Related Changes In The Neural Gating Of Respiratory Sensations In Humans, Wen-Pin Chang, Kai-Jie Liang, Chia-Hsiung Cheng, Chia-Yih Liu, Andreas Von Leupoldt, Pei-Ying S. Chan

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Neural gating of respiratory sensations (NGRS) characterises the brain's ability to filter out repetitive respiratory sensory stimuli. This mechanism plays a crucial role in the neural processing of respiratory stimuli. However, whether ageing affects NGRS in healthy adults is still unclear. Therefore, we aimed to measure the effect of age on NGRS as well as the corresponding S1 and S2 components of the respiratory-related evoked potentials (RREPs).

Methods: Three age groups of healthy adults participated in this study: a young group (YG; age 20-39 years), a middle-aged group (MG; age 40-59 years) and an old group (OG; age ≥60 …

Delirium Education For Family Caregivers Of Patients In The Intensive Care Unit: A Pilot Study, Amanda Wheeler, Elise Bloch, Sarah Blaylock, James Root, Kateriza Ibanez, Newman Newman, Jose Diarte, Louis P. Voigt

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Objectives

Delirium, an acute change in mental state, seen in hospitalized older adults is a growing public health concern with implications for both patients and caregivers; however, there is minimal research on educating caregivers about delirium. Utilizing family caregivers to assist with delirium management in acute care settings demonstrates improved health outcomes supporting the need for patient and family centered care. The primary aims of the study were to determine feasibility of implementing a delirium education video for caregivers of patients in an adult oncology intensive care unit and compare delirium knowledge to caregivers in a control group.

Methods

A …

The Impact Of Emotional Context On Neural Substrates Of Respiratory Sensory Gating, Pei-Ying S. Chan, Wen-Pin Chang, Chia-Hsiung Cheng, Chia-Yih Liu, Andreas Von Leupoldt, Ai-Ling Hsu, Changwei W. Wu

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Psychological challenges have been found to impact respiratory symptom perception in healthy individuals as well as in patients with various neurological disorders. Human respiratory sensory gating is an objective measure to examine respiratory sensory information processing of repetitive respiratory mechanical stimuli in the central nervous system. With this electrophysiological method, patients with higher anxiety levels showed reduced respiratory sensory gating function in the cortex, and increased symptom perception. In addition, positive emotional contexts were found to increase the respiratory sensory gating function using RREPs. However, neural substrates related to emotional impacts on respiratory sensory gating remain still unclear. In the …

Factors Shaping Occupational Injustice Among Resettled Syrian Refugees In The United States, Wesam B. Darawsheh, Megan Bewernitz, Sawsan Tabbaa, Michael Justiss

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: There have been a limited number of studies that have focused on factors which shape the experiences of resettlement and occupational injustice among refugee populations.

Purpose: To explore the factors that shape the living difficulties of Syrian refugees who were lawfully admitted into the United States and ways whereby they might interfere with shaping occupational injustice.

Method: Mixed methodologies were incorporated. The living difficulty scale for refugees (LDSR) was disseminated. Semistructured interviews were conducted, and fieldnotes were collected as sources of qualitative data.

Results: 254 participants (mean age 36.2 ± 9.6 yrs; 159 females and 95 males) completed the …

Is A Forensic Cohabitation Program Recovery-Oriented? A Logic Model Analysis, Shu-Ping Chen, Wen-Pin Chang, Bryan Fleet, Santoch Rai, Steve Panteluk, Alberto Choy, Deann Hunter

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Background. Recovery orientation is a movement in mental health practice. Although general mental health services have taken the lead in promoting recovery, forensic psychiatric systems have lagged behind because of the need to reconcile recovery principles with the complexities of legal mandates. Advocating recovery and making systemic changes can be challenging because they require seeking a balance between the competing duties to the patient and the public. This paper used a logic model framework to demonstrate a cohabitation program that placed a woman and her newborn infant in a secure forensic rehabilitation unit, and analyzed the key assumptions of recovery …

The Development Of A Multiple Errands Test For Pre/Post Concussive Testing On A College Campus: The University Multiple Errands Test - Lessons Learned, Regula H. Robnett, Kathleen Hahn, Tetee Roland

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The Multiple Errands Test (MET) is an occupation-based assessment tool, used to determine if someone who has sustained an acquired brain injury can successfully complete everyday errands, such as purchasing items at a gift shop, mailing a letter, and determining what hours a store is open. The MET has been used successfully in a hospital setting. Due to the MET’s ecological validity, we sought to determine if an adapted MET (revised for a college campus setting) would be an appropriate alternative to the ImPACT, an often-required, on-line pre and post-concussion neuropsychological assessment for high school and college athletes. Students may …

Primary Care: A Service-Learning Environment For Occupational Therapy Students, Brandi Andreae, Wen-Pin Chang, Thomas F. Fisher, Priya Bakshi

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

This research provides evidence on occupational therapy (OT) students in primary care (PC). OT demonstrates the skills and knowledge to address chronic medical conditions in PC with entry-level education. Limited evidence of occupational therapists in PC demonstrates a need to examine OT services in this setting. In this emerging area of practice and ever-changing reimbursement models, additional evidence is needed to define the value and continuation of OT services in PC. A mixed-methods study aimed to answer the primary research question: How are OT students used in the PC setting in fieldwork or capstone experiences? A two-phase process was involved. …

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 …

Occupational Therapy In Haiti: A Pilot Study To Identify Intervention Methods Used During Short-Term Medical Missions, Sheelagh M. Schlegel, Kathleen Mathieson

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Due to the shortage of occupational therapists (OTs) in Haiti and over 800,000 individuals with disabilities, most occupational therapy assessments and interventions are provided by OTs on short-term medical missions (STMMs). Learning which methods OT use to provide assessments and interventions during these STMMs is the first step to understanding how to facilitate followup and carry-over for clients and ensure longevity for STMMs in Haiti. This study used a cross-sectional, descriptive design to gather data on methods used by OTs. Thirty-three OTs, who travelled to Haiti on STMMs, completed a 16-question, online survey. The most common method provided by OTs …

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: Linking Motor And Process Skills, Sensory Patterns, And Psychiatric Symptoms, Lola Halperin, Janet Falk-Kessler

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Background: Consistent evidence suggests sensory abnormalities and skill deficits in people with Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder (SSD). Further exploration of their sensory patterns and performance skills is warranted to promote community participation among these individuals.

Method: This study examined sensory patterns and motor and process skills in relationship to psychiatric symptoms in adult patients with SSD. Participants were evaluated using the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile, the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills, and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale.

Results: Of the 18 participants, the majority showed sensory differences, deficits in motor and process skills, and the presence of moderate to severe symptoms. …

Missing Pieces And Misconceptions: Public Understanding Of Occupational Therapy, Heather Miller-Kuhaneck, Erin Coutts, Brenna Destefano, Andrea Gallo, Caitlin Kaczynski, Giana Marucci, Kristen Mourao, Jennifer Vialonga

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The students of Gamma Nu Chapter of Pi Theta Epsilon at Sacred Heart University completed a qualitative project examining the public perceptions of occupational therapy. This poster is their presentation to the state OT association, ConnOTA.

Effects Of International Service Learning On Development Of Intercultural Competence, Sharon M. Mccloskey

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

As the United States becomes an increasingly multicultural society (Colby & Ortman, 2014; Perez & Hirschman, 2009), there are greater opportunities for cross-culture interactions, especially in settings for healthcare practitioners. The profession of occupational therapy demands future practitioners understand culture and become skilled in the delivery of culturally competent care (AOTA, 2014). The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of international service learning (ISL) on the development of intercultural competence in graduate occupational therapy students. Inquiry for this research followed a mixed-methods explanatory sequential design. Study participants were graduate occupational therapy students who engaged in an international …

A Pilot Professional Development Program For Occupational Therapy Practitioners Who Work In Home Settings: Knowledge Translation On Urinary Incontinence, Jaimee Betts Hegge

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The purpose of this project was to increase the knowledge and confidence of home based occupational therapy practitioners working with adults and older adults who have urinary incontinence. The knowledge translation model of education is used to educate health care providers to improve integration of new information. The Reflective Questioning Framework for coaching can be effective with increasing knowledge and confidence of practitioners that are integrating new learning into their daily home care practice. This project investigated how these two approaches to education impacted occupational therapy practitioners perceived level of knowledge and confidence treating urinary incontinence in adult and older …

Sensory, Motor And Process Skills As Compared To Symptom Severity In Adult Patients With Schizophrenia, Lola Halperin

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness affecting millions of Americans. It is characterized by positive and negative symptoms; cognitive impairments; and sensory, motor, and process skill deficits; as well as compromised motor learning, functional difficulties, and diminished quality of life. Neuroscientists attribute the above deficits to abnormal brain development, exaggerated synaptic pruning, and neurodegenerative processes, causing disrupted connectivity and diminished plasticity in the brain, neurotransmitter dysfunction, and impaired sensory processing.

Presently, there is no cure for schizophrenia. Numerous medications and rehabilitation modalities exist; however, many of the affected individuals continue to struggle daily. Recovery of these individuals implies symptom management …

Effects Of Physical Exercise In Older Adults With Reduced Physical Capacity: Meta-Analysis Of Resistance Exercise And Multimodal Exercise, Chiung-Ju Liu, Wen-Pin Chang, Islene Araujo De Carvalho, Katie E. L. Savage, Lori W. Radford, Jotheeswaran Amuthavalli Thiyagarajan

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Older adults with reduced physical capacity are at greater risk of progression to care dependency. Progressive resistance strength exercise and multimodal exercise have been studied to restore reduced physical capacity. To summarize the best evidence of the two exercise regimes, this meta-analysis study appraised randomized-controlled trials from published systematic reviews. Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Review and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials were searched for relevant systematic reviews. Two reviewers independently screened the relevant systematic reviews to identify eligible trials, assessed trial methodological quality, and extracted data. RevMan 5.3 software was used to analyze data …

Using A Multifaceted Approach To Working With Children Who Have Differences In Sensory Processing And Integration, Stacey Reynolds, Tara J. Glennon, Karla Ausderau, Roxanna M. Bendixen, Heather Miller-Kuhaneck, Beth Pfeiffer, Renee Watling, Kimberly Wilkinson, Stefanie C. Bodison

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Pediatric occupational therapy practitioners frequently provide interventions for children with differences in sensory processing and integration. Confusion exists regarding how best to intervene with these children and about how to describe and document methods. Some practitioners hold the misconception that Ayres Sensory Integration intervention is the only approach that can and should be used with this population. The issue is that occupational therapy practitioners must treat the whole client in varied environments; to do so effectively, multiple approaches to intervention often are required. This article presents a framework for conceptualizing interventions for children with differences in sensory processing and integration …

Exploring The Activity Of Daily Living Of Sexual Activity: A Survey In Occupational Therapy Education, Helene L. Lohman, Alexandra Kobrin, Wen-Pin Chang

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

This study aimed to query occupational therapy educators in professional programs in the United States about the amount of time spent addressing sexual activity and the type and depth of education related to sexual activity. The study aims to inform educators about how sexual activity is taught. A cross-sectional survey research design was used with both closed-and open-ended questions. A total of 51 educators participated. An average of 3.5 hr was spent teaching sexual activity. Many of the participants were comfortable teaching sexual activity. However, some reported that sexual activity was often an overlooked topic in occupational therapy curriculum and …

Clinical Observation On Palipeddone Sustained Release Tablet In The Treatment Of Schizophrenia, Dian-Zhang Xiong, Yu-Ru Yuan, Rong Gao, Qing Wang, Wen-Pin Chang

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and adverse drug reactions (ADR) of palipeddone sustained release tablet in the treatment of schizophrenia in outpatients. Outpatients with schizophrenia treated with palipeddone sustained release tablet (observation group)in our hospital from Apr. to Sep. in 2009 were followed up and compared with those treated with risperidone (control group) during the same period. PANSS and TESS were applied to evaluate efficacy and ADR. Results suggest that the cure rates were 42.4% for control group and 49.6% for observation group. The effective rates were 74.8% for control group and 80.3% for observation group …

Self-Care Project For Faculty And Staff Of Future Health Care Professionals: Case Report, Nancy Macrae, Kelley Strout

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Self-care among health care providers is an important component of their ability to provide quality health care to patients. Health care institutions have programs in place for students that emphasize health and wellness, but few programs are available for faculty and staff. To address this gap and facilitate modeling health and wellness strategies for students, a New England institution that educates health care practitioners began a pilot self-care project for faculty and staff. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected. The template used for this project could be used as a stepping-stone for future wellness self-care program in higher education …

Occupational Therapy: Meeting The Needs Of Families Of People With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Heather Miller-Kuhaneck, Renee Watling

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Occupational therapy has much to offer to families of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, people outside the profession may be unaware of occupational therapy’s breadth and scope. It is our responsibility and our duty to express the full range of occupational therapy services through research, clinical practice, advocacy, and consumer education. This special issue of the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, with its focus on autism, embarks on this endeavor by highlighting research and theoretical articles that address the various aspects of occupational therapy practice that can help to fully meet the needs of people with ASD and …

Occupational Deprivation Or Occupational Adaptation Of Mexican Americans On Renal Dialysis, Shirley A. Wells

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The aim of this study was to explore the occupational changes and perceptions experienced by Mexican Americans with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and their families living with dialysis. In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 Mexican Americans with ESRD and 17 family members. The participants with ESRD described altered or lost activity patterns, capacities and freedoms. With a heightened awareness of death, the family members made altered occupational choices, which were consistent with their cultural values. Changes in the physical body, adhering to the dialysis regimen and environmental restrictions created barriers to occupational participation. These findings suggest that living with dialysis …

Determinants Of Adherence To Living On Dialysis For Mexican Americans, Shirley A. Wells

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

This study explores perceptions that affect adherence behaviors among Mexican Americans living with dialysis. In-depth narrative interviews were conducted with 15 Mexican Americans with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) living on dialysis, 15 family members, and 6 health care personnel who provided care to them. Four themes emerged: (a) positive influences to adherence, (b) obstacles to adherence, (c) daily activity losses, and (d) fears about living with dialysis. From the findings, the perceptions given for non-adherence with the dialysis regimen ranged from denial of the condition, lack of pre-education, to cultural factors. Those given for adherence included prolonged life, family, and …

Towards Culturally Competent Professional Practice: Exploring The Concepts Of Independence And Interdependence, Wesam B. Darawsheh, Gill Chard

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Health and social care practitioners increasingly work with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds. While health and social care systems have emphasized the importance of culturally competent practice, professional practice has been influenced by values such as independence, a western notion that places value on the individual. It has been suggested that interdependence, a notion that places value on the family and/or community, can serve as an alternative to independence in culturally diverse practice. Using interviews with thirteen occupational therapists working in culturally diverse social care teams in London, this study aimed to explore whether the concept of interdependence could serve …

Evolution Of A Theory: How Measurement Has Shaped Ayres Sensory Integration, Zoe Mailloux, Heather Miller-Kuhaneck

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The body of scientific inquiry developed by A. Jean Ayres is deeply rooted in systematic and methodical measurement, and her work marked the first effort by an occupational therapist to build a theory for clinical application with an evidence-based approach.

Development Of The Classroom Sensory Environment Assessment (C-Sea), Heather Miller-Kuhaneck, Jacqueline P. Kelleher

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The Classroom Sensory Environment Assessment (C-SEA) allows teachers to examine the sensory aspects of classroom tasks and environments. The purpose is to assist in determining ways to modify tasks and environments to improve engagement and reduce problem behaviors in elementary school students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Diagnostic Statistical Manual 5 Changes To The Autism Diagnostic Criteria: A Critical Moment For Occupational Therapists, Heather Miller-Kuhaneck, Rondalyn Varney Whitney

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

The new definition of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is expected to appear in May 2013 in the finalized Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) -5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2012). The current DSM-IV criteria uses Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) as the umbrella term for autism, a classification that many professionals believe has been outdated for several years. ASD will be the new name for the category that includes “autistic disorder (autism), Asperger’s disorder, childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified” (APA, 2012). It will also serve to better differentiate autism spectrum disorder from typical development as well as from similar …