Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Evaluating Non-Pharmacological Approaches To Nursing Home Dementia Care: A Protocol, Natalie E Leland, Victoria Shier, Catherine V. Piersol, Cara Lekovitch, Jenny Martínez, Yuna H Bae-Shaaw, Neeraj Sood, Claire Day, Paul Cass, Dominique Como, Carin Wong, Felicia Chew

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the daily challenges nursing home (NH) staff face caring for the residents living with Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (

METHODS: This clustered randomized trial will compare

CONCLUSION: This trial will be the first-ever evaluation of team- and problem-based approaches to ADRD care across multiple NHs and geographic regions. Results can provide health system leaders and policymakers with evidence on how to optimize ADRD training for staff in an effort to enhance ADRD care delivery.

2022 American College Of Rheumatology Guideline For Exercise, Rehabilitation, Diet, And Additional Integrative Interventions For Rheumatoid Arthritis, Bryant R England, Benjamin J Smith, Nancy A Baker, Jennifer L Barton, Carol A Oatis, Gordon Guyatt, Allen Anandarajah, Kristine Carandang, Karmela Kim Chan, Deb Constien, Eileen Davidson, Carole V Dodge, Anita Bemis-Dougherty, Sotiria Everett, Nadine Fisher, Liana Fraenkel, Susan M Goodman, Janet Lewis, Victoria Menzies, Larry W Moreland, Iris Navarro-Millan, Sarah Patterson, Lawrence Rick Phillips, Neha Shah, Namrata Singh, Daniel White, Rawan Alheresh, Kamil E Barbour, Thomas Bye, Dana Guglielmo, Rebecca Haberman, Tate Johnson, Anatole Kleiner, Chris Y Lane, Linda C Li, Hiral Master, Daniel Pinto, Janet L Poole, Kimberly Steinbarger, Daniel Sztubinski, Louise Thoma, Vlad Tsaltskan, Marat Turgunbaev, Courtney Wells, Amy S Turner, Jonathan R Treadwell

Pediatrics Research and Scholarship

OBJECTIVE: To develop initial American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines on the use of exercise, rehabilitation, diet, and additional interventions in conjunction with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) as part of an integrative management approach for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS: An interprofessional guideline development group constructed clinically relevant Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome (PICO) questions. A literature review team then completed a systematic literature review and applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to rate the certainty of evidence. An interprofessional Voting Panel (n = 20 participants) that included 3 individuals with RA achieved consensus …

Understanding Athletes’ Experience When Transitioning To Life Beyond Sport, Mary L. Dell'arciprete, M Lauren Dell'arciprete

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

Discontinuation may be by choice or may be due to an injury; however most collegiate athletes’ sports engagement ends due to graduation causing them to shift their role in an occupation that played a crucial role in their self-identity. Athletes of all levels are challenged in their transition beyond sport and in the adjustment to the various role changes that occur. A significant life event, such as the end of one’s athletic engagement, can cause a loss of identity, purpose, and mental health decline. Former athletes may experience occupational disruption, a temporary inability to adequately engage in meaningful tasks due …

Implementation Of An Intensive Amplitude-Focused Program With Stroke Patients In An Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting, Lauren R. Lafreniere

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

This 16-week capstone experience with Southern Crescent Traumatic Brain Injury Center (SCTBI) focused on creating and implementing an intensive amplitude-focused program to improve functional and motor outcomes in stroke survivors. The student achieved Lee Silverman Voice Treatment-BIG (LSVT-BIG) certification to gain in-depth knowledge regarding neuroplasticity and recalibration of the sensorimotor system through high-amplitude movements. The student utilized the knowledge gained from the certification course to create an intensive high-amplitude program appropriate for acute stroke survivors in an inpatient rehabilitation setting. The program is comprised of exercises that are completed in either supine, seated, or sitting and focus on functional movements …

Developing A Holistic Outlook Through Art, Jennifer K. Fortuna

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Dr. Guy McCormack, PhD., OTR/L, FAOTA, an occupational therapist and retired academic program director based in Seaside, California, provided the cover art for the Summer 2023 edition of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). “Tree of Life” is a 20” x 24” painting made from acrylic on panel. McCormack has served as an occupational therapist and educator for nearly 50 years. His career includes many notable clinical and academic achievements. Today, he finds joy in painting landscapes, animals, and abstract compositions. Since his retirement, art has helped McCormack develop a more holistic outlook on life.

Letter To The Editor: Re: Burke, Bundy, & Lane (2023) Article “If Reasoning, Reflection, And Evidence-Based Practice Are Essential To Practice, We Must Define Them”, Angela Benfield, Mark V. Johnston

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

The purpose of this letter to the editor is to suggest using modern test theory to support developing empirical definitions of these complex terms.

The Promise Of Occupational Therapy: Occupational Engagement, Daniel Cezar Da Cruz

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational engagement was first described in 1980 by Elizabeth Yerxa. Forty years later, the concept has no consensual definition in the literature. Despite a lack of common agreement, occupational engagement has been used to describe the ultimate goal of occupational therapy in several documents of associations and research articles. The opinion piece discusses the importance and implications of a lack of consensual concept definition for the profession of occupational therapy and focuses on five descriptions of occupational engagement in the literature. The word "promise" expresses the message occupational therapists send through their organizations, institutions, clinical practice, and research to society …

Applying The Ecological Model Of Human Performance And The Slutwalk Movement To Support Those Affected By Rape Culture In The Context Of Occupational Therapy, Angela Klukken, Sally Wasmuth

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Improving the occupational lives of others is at the heart of occupational therapy practice. Advocacy for clientele is central to this improvement, both at individual and structural levels. We argue that interventions in the Ecological Model of Human Performance (EHP) and the social movement theSlutWalk can offer increased opportunity for occupational therapists to address the harmful implications for clients affected by sexual assault and rape culture. In addition, through the principles of the EHP and the SlutWalk, we propose that occupational therapists can have a hand in eradicating the culture that facilitates and tolerates sexual violence. This paper …

The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (Copm): Critiquing Its Applicability With Indigenous Peoples And Communities, Tara Price, Tara Pride

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Indigenous Peoples experience significant health inequities that must be understood in relation to historical and ongoing colonialism, racism, and discrimination. The occupational therapy profession has claimed commitment to addressing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) calls to action, however, the profession is firmly grounded in Euro-Western epistemologies, including its assessments. The purpose of this paper was to assess the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) for use with Indigenous clients and communities. Although the COPM uses flexibility through semi-structured interviews and the exclusion of standardized score comparisons, it is mired in colonial underpinnings and has hierarchical therapist-client power dynamics threaded throughout. …

Spirituality And Occupation In Living (Soil) Model: Conceptualizing Occupational Performance Through The Lens Of Spirituality, Clark Patrick Heard

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Spirituality is a multi-faceted concept that includes varied personal, societal, and cultural informers. Despite a relatively high volume of analysis there is significant and ongoing debate about the concept of spirituality in occupational therapy. In particular, this discourse includes questions of relevance, how spirituality might be defined, and what its clinical application might entail.

To date, several models have connected spirituality with occupation but none have supported clinicians in framing occupational performance and occupational performance change in day-to-day clinical practice via a spirituality lens.

This paper describes the Spirituality and Occupation in Living (SOiL) model. This model is designed for …

Teaching Critical Reflection In Occupational Therapy: A Quantitative Pre/Post Evaluation Of Student Learning, Morgan Nelson, Lisa Jaegers, Quinn P. Tyminski, Niki Kiepek, Crystal Dieleman

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

This study was designed to answer the question, “Does student recognition of the assumptions underlying occupational therapy practice increase after participation in guided exercises of critical reflection?” The project is grounded in critical occupational therapy (as first named by Whiteford and Townsend) to promote students to reflect actively on dominant disciplinary ideologies and self-reflect on how one’s social positionality impacts understandings of occupational participation. The concept of non-sanctioned occupations was drawn on as a means to facilitate changes in student recognition. A one group, quantitative pre/post design with six open-ended responses was undertaken with master’s-level students (N = 53) at …

Sequential Simulations During Introductory Part-Time Fieldwork: Design, Implementation, And Student Satisfaction, Kaitlin R. Sibbald, Diane E. Mackenzie

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Simulation is used in various ways in occupational therapy education and is recognized as a replacement for some conventional fieldwork hours. However, design and student satisfaction has had limited exploration.

Method: Sequential best practice simulations were designed for Level 1 fieldwork objectives in mental and musculoskeletal practice. The Satisfaction with Simulation Education scale (SSES) and qualitative feedback were used to assess student satisfaction. An exploratory factor analysis was used to validate the SSES in occupational therapy, and a three-factor repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine factors contributing to satisfaction across simulations.

Results: A three-factor model …

Occupational Therapy Curricula Patterns For Acquired Brain Injury-Related Vision Disorders For Entry-Level Programs: A Survey, Laura Schmeiser, Alicia Reiser, Caitlyn Foy

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists are among the first providers to encounter individuals after an acquired brain injury (ABI). Evidence suggests that most occupational therapists learn about ABI-related vision disorders from continuing education and on-the-job training. A better understanding of entry-level curricula patterns for ABI-related vision disorders is important because of their high prevalence and impact on occupational performance. A descriptive online survey was administered to occupational therapy educators at ACOTE-accredited entry-level programs to explore curricula patterns for ABI-related vision disorders. Of 1,391 occupational therapy educators invited to participate, 71 (5%) began the survey, and 66 met the inclusion criteria. Vision screening methods …

Integrating Sleep Promotion Education Into Acute Care Orthopedics Occupational Therapy Practice: A Case Series Study, Rebecca Ludwig, Aaron M. Eakman, Catherine Siengsukon

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The occupation of sleep is frequently under-addressed by occupational therapists with their clients. This may be in part because of a lack of general training on addressing this occupational domain or a lack of education about the basics of sleep. The domain of sleep has been in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework since 2008. However, it remains unclear how to address the domain of sleep in occupational therapy practice. Therefore, the purpose of this case series is to describe the practical application of sleep promotion education.

Methods: A practicing occupational therapist with sleep training provided sleep promotion …

Use Of A Performance-Based Occupational Therapy Assessment Of Executive Function With The Homeless Population: A Case Report, Emily Raphael-Greenfield, Kimberlee Baltich, Tess Wilson, Rebecca Lowinger

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: An estimated 25% of the homeless population has a mental illness, which means that many experience cognitive problems that adversely impact basic and instrumental activities of daily living and goal attainment. This case report focused on the experience of an individual living in transitional housing who was evaluated with a performance-based occupational therapy assessment in the context of community-based interdisciplinary psychosocial care provided by a robust occupational therapy fieldwork program.

Method: This case report generally followed the CARE Case Report Guidelines and highlights the use of a standardized performance-based assessment and follow-up care suggested by test outcomes. …

Feasibility Of A Stress Reduction Program Among Foster Youth In College, Alexis Melinda Ferioli Morin, Jennifer E. Lape

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Foster youth endure traumatic adversities, which can lead to obstacles when transitioning to young adulthood and pursuing postsecondary education. This vulnerable population is required to navigate independent living while also managing stress that commonly arises from postsecondary education.

Method: A pre test, post test pilot design was employed to determine the potential impact and feasibility of an evidenced-based multi-factorial stress management program in reducing foster youth’s perceived stress during postsecondary education. Participants (n = 3) received one, 90-min individual occupational therapy session weekly over 6 weeks. Author-generated stress management surveys along with the Perceived Stress Scale …

Encounters With Ethical Problems During The First 5 Years Of Practice In Occupational Therapy: A Survey, Brenda S. Howard, Michele Govern, Alexandra M. Gambrel, Morgan Haney, Haylee Ottinger, Travis W. Rippe, Alyssa Earls

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Health care professionals face ethical problems in practice, but there is little research on types of ethical problems encountered or ethical problem resolution. This study explored ethical problems encountered by occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) within the first 5 years of practice.

Method: Investigators sent a survey in cooperation with NBCOT to a sample of 7,800 occupational therapists and OTAs in multiple practice settings who were NBCOT certified within the past five years. The survey covered questions regarding ethical problems encountered in practice, including productivity and related issues, clinical decision-making and professional reasoning, therapeutic relationships, and …

Predictors Of Occupational Competence In People Hospitalized With Chronic Conditions, Melanie Morriss Tkach, Patricia Bowyer, Marsha Neville, Timothy J. Wolf, Gerald Goodman

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Chronic diseases limit participation in meaningful daily activities, roles, and routines, which can negatively impact occupational competence, a sense of self, and life satisfaction, especially when hospitalization is required to manage disease symptoms. Standardized measures of occupational competence and related functional, cognitive, and environmental factors may enhance occupational therapists’ ability to identify potential barriers to and make targeted recommendations for self- and health management in the community.

Method: This cross-sectional study investigated occupational competence in patients hospitalized with chronic conditions. The participants completed measures of occupational competence, values, self-care function, environmental impact, and functional cognition while hospitalized. …

Social Participation And Navigation With Adolescent And Young Adult Brain Tumor Survivors: Usability And Potential Benefits, Gary Bedell, Nicole Porter, Miranda Cullen, Zachary Gould, Stephanie Freeman

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This study examined the usability and potential benefits of Social Participation and Navigation (SPAN), a virtual coaching goal planning intervention, which was modified for adolescent and young adult (AYA) brain tumor survivors who often experience social participation challenges.

Methods: Four AYA brain tumor survivors participated in a brief trial of the modified SPAN consisting of four weekly coaching sessions with trained supervised occupational therapy graduate students and use of a website and web application to assist with goal planning and achievement. The participants rated their social participation and SPAN-specific skills pre/post program. The participants and parents completed 1-week …

Reflections From The Other Side Of Acute Care, Debbie Amini

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

An occupational therapist of 40 years experiences a traumatic event during her time in an acute care hospital. She journeys through a host of life-altering experiences, including cognitive decline, delusion, paranoia, and an inability to engage in her desired occupations. While on this journey and during reflections following her return home, she is able to see more clearly how an occupational therapist may have assisted with several of the major concerns she was experiencing, thus improving her well-being and quality of life. She is an Assistant Editor for the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT) and this is her story.