Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Occupational Therapy In Secondary Transition: A Case Report, Latoya Harvey, Susan Zapf, Sandra E. Groger

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Introduction: This case report aims to inform the occupational therapy profession of best practice by providing an example of the profession’s role in secondary transition for students with disabilities.

Method: This qualitative case report examines the value of occupational therapy during transition in the life of one student with a disability. Six weeks of coaching and collaboration were provided to facilitate student engagement to enhance independent living skills, work-related skills, and self-determination. Pre-test and post-test results of the Roll Evaluation of Life Activities (REAL), the Goal-Oriented Assessment of Lifeskills (GOAL), the Goal Attainment Scaling (GAS), interviews, informal discussions, …

Occupational Therapy Enhancing Psychosocial Factors: Through The Lens Of Case Reports, Bryan M. Gee

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Exploring Dating As An Occupation For Young Heterosexual Women In Ireland, Karen Mccarthy, Jeanne Jackson

Occupational Therapy | Faculty Scholarship

Purpose – Dating is a meaningful occupation for many single people. The occupation of dating has transformed considerably in Ireland due to recent changes in Irish culture and the advent of online dating technology. The purpose of this study was to explore the complexities and intricacies of dating in an Irish context.

Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research approach was used and data were collected using semi-structured interviews with ten heterosexual women (age 24-34) living in urban areas of Ireland. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis (Braun and Clarke, 2006).

Findings – Dating did not fully resonate with their experience, …

Pediatric Mtbi: Perceptions Of Michigan General Education Teachers, Kayleigh Smith, Delaney Eckstein, Alyson Peters, Tanveer Mangat

Masters Theses

Background: Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI), also known as concussion, is the most common head injury in the pediatric population. The purpose of this study was to develop evidence about teachers’ knowledge of mTBI, their experiences with mTBI, and return-to-learn protocols.

Methods: A mixed-methods survey was emailed to 567 Michigan Public School superintendents. Employing snowball sampling, superintendents were requested to distribute the electronic survey within their school districts.

Results: Fifty-three participants responded to the survey and met the inclusion criteria (N=53). Respondents were not confident with recognizing signs and symptoms of mTBI, but knowledgeable, particularly with recognizing physical symptoms more …

Occupational Therapy Newsletter, Summer 2022, Occupational Therapy Department

News, Magazines and Reports

Highlights: Letter from Department Chair and Program Director Dr. Sharon McCloskey -- 20th year program celebration slideshow -- Alumna Anastasiya Akay advocates for orphans in Ukraine -- Faculty focus on Amanda Wheeler (PhD, OTR/L) -- Dr. Sheelagh Schlegel (DrHSc, MPH, OTR/L, CHES, CAPS) facilitates patient simulations -- Dr. Lola Halperin (Ed.D., OTR/L) presents at the ConnOTA and AOTA conferences and participates in the Dean's Speaker Series -- Dr. Sharon McCloskey (Ed.D., MBA, OT/L, DipCOT, CTP) presents "Understanding the Impact of Trauma and ACE's on Learning and Participation in Schools" -- Pilot social simulation training program for occupational therapy students -- …

The Use Of Occupational Therapy Services In Outpatient Mental Health, Kelsey A. Wasik, Matt T. Valois, Kaylee M. Essenberg, Kelcie P. Beck

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is aimed to explore the structure and utilization details of occupational therapy in outpatient behavioral health settings. Two occupational therapists participated in qualitative phenomenological interviews which were transcribed and analyzed using the thematic approach. A total of two themes emerged: billing and coverage, and education and advocacy. Participants identified there are necessary factors for reimbursement of services, in addition to the need for education and advocacy for occupational therapists to practice in outpatient behavioral health settings. Future research should be aimed at recruiting more participants, occupational therapists, and from other roles in these clinics such …

A Survey Of Interventions For Cancer Survivors Provided By Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Katie M. Polo, Mary F. Baxter

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Currently, there is a lack of research exploring evidence-based occupational therapy intervention practices at the activity level in survivorship care, which is important to identify for future research and clinical needs of the profession. The purpose of this study was to describe what activity level interventions OT practitioners are using and report any practice trends that might exist. Method: A cross-section design was used with non-probability purposive sampling to recruit occupational therapy practitioners working with adults living with and beyond cancer. A three-phase process for survey development and implementation was used, as recommended by the literature, for improving content …

Attitudes Toward Covid-19 Vaccination Among Occupational Therapy Professionals And Students In Early 2021, Stephen A. Cage, Brandon J. Warner, Diana M. Gallegos, Heidi M. Cage, Diane P. Brown Phd, Otr

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: After the widespread transmission of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the first COVID-19 vaccination received emergency use authorization in the United States in December of 2020. Current research has shown the authorized COVID-19 vaccines to be safe and effective at preventing severe illness. At the time of this study, there appears to be no published research on the attitudes and receipt of COVID-19 vaccinations among occupational therapy professionals and students. The purpose of this study is to describe the attitudes and receipt of COVID-19 vaccinations among occupational therapy professionals and students in early 2021. Methods: A total of …

Reaching Out To Occupational Therapists, Alan Fyall

Rosen Research Review

Accessible tourism is a growing area of tourism research. The belief that all tourism facilities, products, and services should be accessible to those with disabilities drives research in tourism ethics and sustainability. However, a key voice is being ignored. Occupational therapists play a critical role in enabling people with disabilities to participate in the activities of daily life, including leisure. Dr. Alan Fyall believes it is time for interdisciplinary research with occupational therapists to properly understand accessible tourism.

Bilateral Upper Extremity Motor Priming (Bump) Plus Task-Specific Training For Severe, Chronic Upper Limb Hemiparesis: Study Protocol For A Randomized Clinical Trial, Mary Ellen Stoykov, Olivia M Biller, Alexandra Wax, Erin King, Jacob M Schauer, Louis F Fogg, Daniel M Corcos

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Various priming techniques to enhance neuroplasticity have been examined in stroke rehabilitation research. Most priming techniques are costly and approved only for research. Here, we describe a priming technique that is cost-effective and has potential to significantly change clinical practice. Bilateral motor priming uses the Exsurgo priming device (Exsurgo Rehabilitation, Auckland, NZ) so that the less affected limb drives the more affected limb in bilateral symmetrical wrist flexion and extension. The aim of this study is to determine the effects of a 5-week protocol of bilateral motor priming in combination with task-specific training on motor impairment of the affected …

Examining The Effects Of Passenger Conversation On Older Adult Driving, Allison Green, Meg Tedder, Amanda J. Mohler, Amanda M. Carpenter

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Older adults have impaired driving performance compared to other age groups, and auditory stimuli has adverse effects on driving performance (Karthaus & Falkenstein, 2016). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to expand knowledge of driving and passenger conversation within the older adult population. Participants (n = 17) completed a drive of 7.8 miles on a driving simulator twice; once without conversation and again with conversation. Both drives used the same simulated driving tasks to examine driving performance with and without conversation. Participants exhibited poorer driving performance from the first drive without conversation to the second drive with conversation, …

Understanding The Efficacy Of Telehealth In Pediatric Occupational Therapy, Katheren Bettermann

University Honors Theses

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) expanded telehealth, an electronic health care service, to virtually treat patients. Many occupational therapy and public health scholars are researching the effectiveness of telehealth for all age groups or for adults only. The purpose of this study is to understand the efficacy of telehealth as a pediatric occupational therapy modality and expose variables effecting treatment quality.

I created a survey in Qualtrics, a web-based software. The target population was pediatric occupational therapists (OTs) licensed in Oregon. Qualitative and quantitative questions addressed respondent qualifications, telehealth and pediatric occupational therapy …

Prison Or Paradise? Perceptions Of Communication Between Cohabitating Couples During Covid-19 Restrictions, Caroline Fenker, Olivia Fisher, Amy Hodel, Clayton Lange, Jory Swider, Jena Thompson

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Purpose: Due to the immediacy of the COVID-19 phenomenon, researchers recognized a need to examine the effects of restrictions on communication patterns between committed, cohabiting partners. Prior literature investigated factors contributing to communication satisfaction; however, a substantial gap remains within the occupational therapy (OT) literature. The study explored perceived satisfaction of quantity and quality of communication before and during COVID-19 restrictions between cohabitating, committed partners and its relation to occupation.

Methods: A questionnaire sent via e-mail recruited subjects from an occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) program who self-identified as having quarantined with a committed partner during COVID-19 restrictions. A mixed-methods …

Avian Assisted Intervention During Covid-19 Pandemic Restrictions, Sandia Wood, Mary Thelander Hill

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Occupational Deprivation has been a present risk [ER1] for people in inpatient hospital settings such as Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic restrictions. Clients have described their days as “boring” and “unfulfilling.” Clients experiencing extended in-patient hospitalization, who already might experience great interruptions to their treasured roles, routines, and occupations, were further restricted from recreational and social opportunities usually present in those settings. This work describes the translation of the animal assisted intervention evidence base to an occupational therapy student-developed program at a SNF to address this deficit. A vibrant avian therapy partner gave moments …

Response: Commentary: Evaluating Sensory Integration/Sensory Processing Treatment: Issues And Analysis, Sarah A Schoen, Roseann C. Schaaf, Zoe Mailloux, Anita Bundy, Shelly Lane, Teresa A May-Benson, L Diane Parham, Susanne Smith Roley

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Interprofessional Education (Ipe) To Address Collaboration For Individualized Education Plans (Ieps): A Retrospective Study Of Occupational Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, And Special Education Students’ Perceptions, Kristina Curro, Lisa Shooman, Sue Foo

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The purpose of this project is to measure the effects of interprofessional education (IPE) on the perceptions of preservice professionals’ development of an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The preservice professionals (PSPs) participants included master’s students from speech language pathology (SLP), occupational therapy (OT) and special education (SPED) programs (N = 78). The primary project goals were to examine the perceptions of the participants’ roles and knowledge on a multidisciplinary education team, their perceptions of the collaborative process, and their familiarity with the IEP development process. A mixed-methods, retrospective, cross-sectional investigation was used to obtain quantitative and qualitative outcomes. A …

Framing An Interprofessional Culture Of Learning Across Healthcare Programs, Loriann Helgeson, Smokey L. Fermin, Paul Werhane, Jonathan Hook

Occupational Therapy Faculty Scholarship

Innovation Summit for Health Professions Education Virtual Conference, June 23-24, 2022: Poster Presentation: Framing an interprofessional culture of learning across healthcare programs.

Faculty Perspectives On Interprofessional Collaborations Between Occupational Therapy And Industrial Design: A Qualitative Ethnographic Inquiry, Kimberly S. Mollo, Madalyn Peterson, Rebecca Brown

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Incorporating a user-centred approach to universal design solutions improves functionality and access for a more diverse group of individuals to engage with end products within everyday environments successfully. Interprofessional collaborations between industrial design and occupational therapy are one approach that integrates a user-centred universal design perspective throughout the design process, as occupational therapists have unique expertise in understanding how individuals participate in activities and engage with everyday products and environments. This qualitative ethnographic inquiry explored faculty perspectives (n=5) involved in interprofessional academic collaborations between design and occupational therapy at the university level in the Northeastern United States. Five themes emerged: …

Feasibility And Effectiveness Of A Prehabilitation Program Prior To Breast Cancer Surgery: A Critically Appraised Topic, Emma Choi, Alissa Lee, Kayla Woods, Morgan Mills, Carol Houston

Master of Occupational Therapy Student Critically Appraised Topics

The purpose of our project is to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a prehabilitation (prehab) program for patients undergoing breast cancer surgery as compared to only receiving post-surgical rehabilitation. Our clinical mentor has recently obtained certification as a lymphedema specialist and is assisting with the opening of an outpatient mastectomy clinic through the Methodist University systems. Through our research process, we critically appraised two Level II articles, two Level III articles, and one Level IV article. Positive outcomes related to the feasibility were identified, however there is limited significant evidence supporting the effectiveness of the intervention. We recommend using …

Effect Of Botox And Therapy On Spasticity In Cerebral Palsy: A Critically Appraised Topic, Rachel Bray Mot/S, Tatum Cabot Mot/S, Peyton Clark Mot/S, Cameron Goodman Mot/S, Tarason Moore Mot/S, Claire Napier Mot/S

Master of Occupational Therapy Student Critically Appraised Topics

Children diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy often experience upper limb spasticity. Research has shown Botox injections in combination with occupational therapy can reduce the effects of spasticity in the upper limb. This literature review aims to determine how long is the appropriate duration of occupational therapy to administer after Botox injections to see decreased spasticity in the upper limbs.