Occupational Therapy Commons^™

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 …

Helping Parents Navigate Occupational Therapy In The Iep Process, Noelle Bakken, Kelly Calton, Molly Hyland, Shannon Landau

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

At the request of Matrix Parent Network and the Marin Autism Collaborative, the project developers have gathered information in order to help parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) better understand Occupational Therapy (OT) in the school setting. The development of the resource guide consisted of three needs assessments to identify areas of occupational therapy in which parents required further clarification. After meeting with the director of parent services from Matrix Parent Network, and receiving the online survey results from twenty-eight parents in Marin County, who have children with ASD, the project developers identified areas of OT to focus …

Friendships For High School Students: With Autism Spectrum Disorder And Without, Alanna Young

Honors Theses and Capstones

People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience deficits in social communication, having difficulty with carrying on conversations, abiding by social norms, and feeling empathy towards others. As social skills are important for successful interactions, these deficiencies can decrease the number of friendships experienced by teenagers with ASD. However, it is also possible that other social barriers are involved, such as stigma, assumed by peers of teenagers with ASD. The influence of deficits in social interaction and stigma was examined through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, comprised of groups with teenagers with ASD and groups with typically developing teenagers. It was …

Lack Of Medicaid Funding For Occupational Therapy Serving The Autism Spectrum Disorder Population Ages 0-5 Years, Nadia Yala

Honors Theses

The prevalence of autism in the United States is currently 1 in 68 children (Autism Alliance of Michigan, 2014). This is considered an epidemic. There are a variety of treatments available in the state of Michigan for children with autism, such as occupational therapy, speech therapy, physical therapy, and applied behavior analysis (ABA). Effective April 1^st, 2013, Michigan increased their funding cap for ABA therapy for treating children with autism. However, there is a lack of knowledge within the community and amongst professionals in regards to the critical treatment occupational therapy practitioners provide and as a result, there …

Sensory Integration Interventions Used By Pediatric Occupational Therapists For Children Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review, Teddie Buchner, Jennifer Fortuna, Natalie Lindsay

Pediatrics

Objective: To identify sensory based interventions used by pediatric occupational therapists treating children diagnosed with ASD.

Design: Systematic Review

Methods: Researchers searched four scholarly databases to obtain articles identifying sensory integration interventions used by pediatric occupational therapists. The four key terms used to filter the resulting articles include: “occupational therapy,” “autism,” “sensory,” and “interventions.” Articles were eliminated based on inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Results: A total of 11 articles were chosen to identify sensory integration interventions used by pediatric occupational therapists treating children diagnosed with ASD.

Conclusions: The sensory based interventions most commonly used by pediatric occupational therapists treating children diagnosed with …

Between Wind And Water: Experiences Of Mothers Of Adolescents With Autism During The Post-High School Transition, Devon R. Casey

Honors Theses and Capstones

Research Question: How do mothers of adolescents with autism experience and prepare for their child's post- high school transition?

Children With Asd And Their Experience Of Friendship And Co-Occupation, Joshua Eric Line

Online Theses and Dissertations

This study set out to answer four questions regarding the friendships of children with ASD: 1) what elements of friendship are most important, 2) what elements of friendship are most common, 3) do these elements change with peer exposure, and 4) how do these children experience co-occupations? Phenomenological methods were used to analyze interviews of three children with ASD (age 10). Literature review included discussion of definitions of friendship, and definitions of co-occupation, as relevant to the study. Identified themes include the lunchroom as a social context, reciprocity through co-occupations, trust, keeping friends means being a good friend, engagement in …

The Sensory Processing Patterns And Activity Choices Of A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Mixed-Methods Case Study, Valerie Miller

Online Theses and Dissertations

It is estimated that up to 95% of children with autism spectrum disorder experience sensory processing problems. Minimal research is available on the relationship between specific sensory processing patterns, activity preference and behavior patterns in children. It is hypothesized that if children participate in play activities that support their sensory needs, they will experience less behavioral problems, more self-regulating behavior and a higher quality of life. This mixed-methods case study examines how a child with autism spectrum disorder participates in activities and looks at if those activities support sensory needs, thus reinforcing self-regulatory behaviors.

Driving Characteristics Of Teens With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity And Autism Spectrum Disorder, Sherrilene Classen, Miriam Monahan, Yanning Wang

Collected Faculty Scholarship

Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death among teens. Teens with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or both (ADHD–ASD) may have a greater crash risk. We examined the between-groups demographic, clinical, and predriving performance differences of 22 teens with ADHD– ASD (mean age 5 15.05, standard deviation [SD] 5 0.95) and 22 healthy control (HC) teens (mean age 5 14.32, SD 5 0.72). Compared with HC teens, the teens with ADHD–ASD performed more poorly on righteye visual acuity, selective attention, visual–motor integration, cognition, and motor performance and made more errors on the driving simulator pertaining …

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 …

Occupational Therapy And Sensory Integration For Children With Autism: A Feasibility, Safety, Acceptability And Fidelity Study., Roseann C Schaaf, Teal W. Benevides, Donna Kelly, Zoe Mailloux-Maggio

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Objective: To examine the feasibility, safety, and acceptability of a manualized protocol of occupational therapy using sensory integration principles for children with autism. Methods: Ten children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder ages 4-8 years received intensive occupational therapy intervention using sensory integration principles following a manualized protocol. Measures of feasibility, acceptability and safety were collected from parents and interveners, and fidelity was measured using a valid and reliable fidelity instrument. Results: The intervention is safe and feasible to implement, acceptable to parents and therapist, and therapists were able to implement protocol with adequate fidelity. These data provide support for implementation …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of A Goal-Directed Intervention On The Social Interaction Of Children With Neurodevelopmental Disabilities, Natalie Gatlin

Honors Theses and Capstones

This study sought to address social interaction needs of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities through an eight week intervention focusing on social skills at Spaulding Youth Center (SYC), a residential facility in Northeast United States. The study implemented a randomized control design, with a control and intervention group, totaling n=19 students. Results have implications for future practice.

The Culture Of A Public School's Approach To Children With Asd: An Ethnographical Study, Lisa Mccarthy

Online Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this ethnographic study is to understand the culture of Westridge Elementary School (WRE), and its approach to the increasing numbers of mainstreamed students with special needs; in particular students identified with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). The researcher examined the language, norms, and rituals of WRE, and how children with ASD are involved. Data from this research was collected through five face-to-face interviews, as well as participant observations, which were collected over a 2-3 week period in the spring and fall of 2010. Photographs of the school environment, along with the collection of artifacts, were also used to …

Occupations And Quality Of Life Of Families With Children With Asd: A Survey, Rebecca Vaughn

Online Theses and Dissertations

In recent literature, it has been suggested that families with children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have diminished Quality of Life particularly in the areas of social interaction and family outings (Lee et al., 2008). The purpose of this study is to describe quality of life and occupations engaged in along with demographic features of families with children with an ASD. Data was collected utilizing a survey methods, a convenience sample received a questionnaire packet containing: Flanagan Quality of Life Scale, demographic survey and Occupational Checklist. Twenty-two families participated in the study. Descriptive statistics suggested that families with children …

A Parent Consultation Group For Parents Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Mixed Methodological Study, Cassandra Catherine Clark

Online Theses and Dissertations

Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are known have higher levels of negative stress than parents of children without a chronic illness. These parents' roles and routines are also impacted since the many demands made by their children put them at greater risk of occupational injustice as they are less likely to participate in occupations of their choice. Despite multiple studies examining stress in parents of children with ASD, there is little to no recent published research on the effects of a parent consultation group on parents of children with ASD and their sense of competency and attitudes …

A Study On The Effects Of Therapeutic Listening On The Social And Functional Behavior Of Preschool Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Robin Abbott

Theses and Dissertations

Auditory sensory differences and sensitivities are often mentioned by parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and in research involving children with ASD. Addressing these auditory processing differences is the goal of various auditory treatment techniques, but current research does not yield a body of evidence in support of auditory therapy as a treatment for children with ASD. This study is a single-subject study, repeated across two subjects, to investigate the effect of the Therapeutic Listening program on the social engagement and self-care skills of preschool-aged children with ASD. Both social engagement and self-care skills increased with for both …

Imitation In Fragile X Syndrome: Implications For Autism, Marta Macedoni-Luksic, Laura Greiss Hess, Sally J. Rogers, David Gosar, Kerrie Lemons-Chitwood, Randi Hagerman

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

To address the specific impairment of imitation in autism, the imitation abilities of 22 children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) with and without autism were compared. Based on previous research, we predicted that children with FXS and autism would have significantly more difficulty with non-meaningful imitation tasks. After controlling for full-scale IQ and age, the groups did not differ in their overall imitation accuracy scores, but analysis of error patterns revealed that children with FXS and autism made more groping errors and additional movements than the comparison group. These error patterns are consistent with the hypothesis that an action production …

Motor Abilities Of Children Diagnosed With Fragile X Syndrome With And Without Autism, C. Zingerevich, L. G. Hess, K. Lemons Chitwood, S. W. Harris, D. Hessl, K. Cook, R. J. Hagerman

Collected Faculty Scholarship

Background—Previous studies suggested that children diagnosed with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) often meet criteria for autism or PDD. This study describes the fine motor abilities of children diagnosed with FXS with and without autism spectrum disorder, and compares the motor scores of those groups controlling for cognitive level.

Method—Forty-eight children, ages 12-76 months (SD=16) diagnosed with FXS were assessed with the Mullen Scales of Early Learning, and the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). Their parents were interviewed with the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). We used a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to determine if the fine motor scale …

Gross Motor Development, Movement Abnormalities, And Early Identification Of Autism, Sally Ozonoff, Gregory S. Young, Stacy Goldring, Laura Greiss Hess, Andriana M. Herrera, Joel Steele, Suzanne Macari, Susan Hepburn, Sally J. Rogers

Collected Faculty Scholarship

Gross motor development (supine, prone, rolling, sitting, crawling, walking) and movement abnormalities were examined in the home videos of infants later diagnosed with autism (regression and no regression subgroups), developmental delays (DD), or typical development. Group differences in maturity were found for walking, prone, and supine, with the DD and Autism-No Regression groups both showing later developing motor maturity than typical children. The only statistically significant differences in movement abnormalities were in the DD group; the two autism groups did not differ from the typical group in rates of movement abnormalities or lack of protective responses. These findings do not …

Assistive Technology Enhancement Of Written Expression For Individuals With Neurodevelopmental Disorders [Poster], Laura Greiss Hess, Kerrie Lemons Chitwood, Susan Harris

Collected Faculty Scholarship

The purpose of this project is to carry out an intensive training program in subjects with a broad range of neurodevelopmental disabilities to assess the efficacy of assistive technology (AT) intervention.

Assistive Technology Enhancement Of Written Expression For Individuals With Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Laura Greiss Hess, Kerrie Lemons Chitwood, Susan Harris

Collected Faculty Scholarship

This study involves the use of computer software to assess the use of assistive technology (AT) in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. We will present an update of the subjects in the study, including research issues, subject diagnoses and diagnostic trends as assessed through baseline and follow-up testing.

Creating A Curriculum To Integrate Augmentative And Alternative Communication In A Preschool Setting, Megan R. Graham

Communication Disorders and Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background/Introduction: Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices are tools used to help individuals with speech difficulties to communicate. The University of Arkansas AAC Lab is designed to develop and evaluate technology and implementation strategies for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In this research setting, we used Proloquo2Go, TouchChat, and a developing AAC program. I have created a curriculum for this Lab that integrates this AAC program into a preschool setting for preschoolers with extensive support needs. Purpose: This project was meant to create a pre-school curriculum for special needs preschoolers implementing models of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy, Occupational …

Occupational Therapy With Children With Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Jane Case-Smith, Heather Miller-Kuhaneck

Occupational Therapy Faculty Publications

Objective. Although the prevalence of children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) has increased, empirical data about the role and practices of occupational therapists have not been reported in the literature. This descriptive study investigated the practice of occupational therapists with children with PDD.

Method. A survey was mailed to 500 occupational therapists in the Sensory Integration Special Interest Section or School System Special Interest Section of the American Occupational Therapy Association in eastern and midwestern United States. The valid return rate was 58% (292 respondents). The survey used Likert scale items to measure frequency of performance problems observed in children …