Occupational Therapy Commons^™

The Training And Use Of Service Dogs In Occupational Therapy Education, Mary Isaacson

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this study is to describe the role of occupational therapy fieldwork students in the training of service dogs. Ethnography is an approach that strives to explore and describe the point of view of people. Ethnographers view the researcher as an instrument to gain insight into the subject. This researcher utilized her own experiences as an occupational therapist, an occupational therapy educator, and as a volunteer dog trainer of service dogs. She then validated the process through interviews with key informants. The results indicate that occupational therapists and occupational therapy students are capable of playing a significant role …

International Occupational Therapists Continuing Education Needs And Opportunities: A Survey, Husny Amerih

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists (OTs) are expected to maintain up-to-date knowledge and clinical competence by engaging in continuing professional education (CPE). The objective of this research was to obtain information on CPE needs and opportunities in developed and developing countries. A survey was created and emailed to 520 OTs in various countries, asking questions about CPE requirements, opportunities, and the avenues of CPE available to OTs. One hundred-nineteen OTs from 17 different countries responded. Of the 119 OTs, 28 practice in developing countries and 91 practice in developed countries. Thirty-nine percent of the OTs in developing countries stated that they have certain …

An Evaluation Of The Potential Effectiveness Of A Tai Chi Program For Health Promotion Among People With Severe Mental Illness, Ann M. Chapleau, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

In response to the significant health disparities among persons with severe mental illness (SMI), this pilot study was developed to evaluate the potential effectiveness of a Tai Chi program provided to adults who are members of a psychosocial clubhouse program. A non-randomized, controlled pretest-posttest design was used, and qualitative data from a program evaluation survey is shared to provide insight into the strengths and limitations of this explorative study. A simplified, beginner-level Tai Chi program was provided twice a week for 12 weeks. Changes in cardiac and pulmonary function and perceived quality of health were measured. Results support the potential …

Functional Improvement In Older Adults After A Falls Prevention Pilot Study, Pei-Fen J. Chang, Yong-Fang Kuo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Falls are a costly, disabling, and life-threatening risk in the elderly. Improvements in physical function, balance, lower extremity strength, and health-related quality of life are hypothesized to help mitigate fall risk. In this pilot study, six women and men with an average age of 81 years participated in a 6-week exercise and education program created to reduce risk of falls. Evaluations were made at baseline and at 6 weeks on four tests: the Functional Status Questionnaire, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Six-minute Walk Test, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life–BREF 26-question test. Scores indicated significant improvement in …

A Survey To Determine The Reliability Of Dynamometer And Pinch Gauge Dial Readings Among Certified Hand Therapists, Theodore I. King Ii

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Using a cross-sectional descriptive study design, surveys were mailed to 200 randomly selected certified hand therapists of the American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) to determine how they document analog dynamometer and pinch gauge dial readings. Three different needle settings for the dynamometer and pinch gauge were presented in picture format. For each instrument, one needle setting was just above a gauge marker, one was just below a gauge marker, and one was set exactly between two gauge markers. A total of 126 out of 200 surveys were returned for a participation rate of 63%. For the dynamometer readings, therapists …

Letter From The Editor: The Importance Of Frames Of Reference, Diane Powers Dirette

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Art In Occupational Therapy: An Introduction To Occupation And The Artist, Molly Bathje

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

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

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Changes in the soon to be released Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) – 5 (American Psychiatric Association, 2012) bring new opportunities for occupational therapy, but the profession must prepare for the impact these changes forecast. While well positioned to capitalize on newly defined specifications of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and the elevation of sensory processing difficulties to a core feature of the disorder, the profession must be alert to the potential downside of the pending changes. The more stringent diagnostic rubric will likely exclude a significant number of individuals currently eligible for therapeutic and academic services. Autism will be defined as …

Ot-Pep: Development Of A Professional Education Paradigm For Occupational Therapy, Christine E. Wright

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This study aims to determine the fundamental tenets that define the occupational therapy education process, and to develop a professional education paradigm that corresponds to those principles. Interpretive phenomenology with Heideggerian hermeneutic philosophy was used to explicate the paradigmatic themes embedded in the occupational therapy body of knowledge. The results yielded the Occupational Therapy Professional Education Paradigm (OT-PEP), which is organized around three core concepts: Adaptive thinking, reflection, and creation of meaning. The OT-PEP is important to occupational therapy because it addresses the elements of the education process that are reflective of the philosophical underpinnings of the profession and brings …

Examining The Sensory Profiles Of At-Risk Youth Participating In A Pre-Employment Program, Chi-Kwan Shea, Robyn Wu

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this study is to use Dunn’s model of sensory processing to investigate the sensory profiles of youth participating in a community-based occupational therapy pre-employment program. The youth participants had been involved in the juvenile justice system and were placed on probation. The study analyzed data from the Adolescent/Adult Sensory Profile (AASP) questionnaires (Brown & Dunn, 2002) completed by 79 youth participants. Analysis of the participants’ scores on the AASP showed statistically significant differences from the norm in two quadrants; the delinquent youth scored lower in Sensation Seeking and higher in Sensation Avoiding. The delinquent youth participants demonstrated …

Enhancing Social Skills In Adolescents With High Functioning Autism Using Motor-Based Role-Play Intervention, Sharon A. Gutman, Emily I. Raphael-Greenfield, Neal Carlson, Rachel Friedman, Amanda Iger

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this pilot study was to collect pilot data evaluating whether a motor-based role-play intervention using a canine animal assistant can enhance social skill use in two adolescents with HFA. A single subject ABA design across two participants was used. The intervention consisted of four 1-hour sessions over 4 weeks. The quality of social interaction was measured by the Evaluation of Social Interaction (ESI) administered at baseline and the 3-month probe. Frequency of targeted social skill use was measured during baseline, intervention, and probe phases. Participant 1 experienced statistically significant increases in both ESI scores (p = …

Associations Of Physiological Factors, Age, And Sensory Over-Responsivity With Food Selectivity In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, Michelle A. Suarez, Nickola W. Nelson, Amy B. Curtis

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship among physiological factors, age, sensory over-responsivity (SOR) and food selectivity in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).

METHODS: One hundred forty-one parents of children with ASD were recruited through a national autism organization, Autism Speaks, to fill out a survey regarding their child’s mealtime behavior. Survey contained items to measure the severity of food selectivity behavior, the presence of physiological factors (i.e., reflux, constipation, food allergies and the need for a specialized diet) and sensory over-responsivity (SOR). Results were analyzed using Chi Square, ANOVA and logistic regression.

RESULTS: No …