Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Sensory-Based Interventions In The School Setting: Perspectives Of Paraeducators, Lyn Kaiser, Marie-Christine Potvin, Caitlin Beach

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore paraeducators’ perceptions of sensory-based interventions (SBIs). Paraeducators are frequently responsible for implementing SBIs to enhance a student’s ability to learn in school. Previous studies have explored the perceptions of teachers and occupational therapists, but as of yet, there are no published studies exploring the perceptions of paraeducators regarding the efficacy of SBIs.

Methods: An ethnographic study was conducted with paraeducators (n = 11) working with students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or emotional disturbance in a center-based special education program. These paraeducators participated in a focus group …

Bundling Payment Initiatives For Total Hip And Knee Arthroplasties: Perspectives Of Health Care Professionals, Katherine Lally, Melinda Schultze, Hannah Ehresman, Helene L. Lohman, Vanessa D. Jewell

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: A broad qualitative research study explored the perceptions of rehabilitation health care professionals and administrative leadership on coordination of care for rehabilitation patients who received hip or knee arthroplasties under the bundling initiative.

Method: Data was collected through the conduction of a focus group, email communication, and individual phone interviews. Researchers analyzed data collected from five administrative personnel and eight rehabilitation health care professionals who work in a facility that participates in a bundling initiative payment model.

Results: Four major themes were identified: importance of care coordination, increased efficiency and effectiveness, establishing protocols, and challenges of …

Effectiveness Of A Metacognitive Shopping Intervention For Adults With Intellectual Disability Secondary To Down Syndrome, Katherine V. O'Neill, Sharon A. Gutman

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a metacognitive strategy-training intervention on the shopping performance of adults with intellectual disability secondary to Down syndrome.

Method: A single subject ABA design across six participants was employed and included a 2-week baseline data collection period, followed by an 8-week intervention phase, and a 2-week follow-up data collection period 1 month after intervention end. Time, frequency, and level of assistance required by the participants to demonstrate targeted shopping skills were measured during baseline, intervention, and follow-up probe phases.

Results: As a group, the participants experienced …

Experience Of Stigma Post Incarceration: A Qualitative Study, Rebecca Sinko, Tina Deangelis, Bernadette Alpajora, Josephine Beker, Ilyse Kramer

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Minimal attention has been given to the perspectives and experiences of individuals post incarceration regarding stigma and its impact on reintegration and occupational engagement. This research aimed to understand how stigma is experienced among individuals who were formerly incarcerated and its influence on occupational engagement, specifically social participation, work, and school occupations. This research also examined the role of occupational therapy as an intervention in addressing stigma from the perspectives of individuals who were formerly incarcerated to inform practice and mitigate the influence of stigma.

Method: Interviews were conducted with 10 participants of a work rehabilitation program for people …

Occupational Therapy Group Programming For Adolescents With Developmental And Learning Disabilities: A Retrospective Documentation Review, Jennifer A. Merz, Bonnie Nakasuji, Kimberly S. Mollo

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Individuals with learning disabilities have higher rates of unemployment, are less likely to live independently, and have lower rates of college graduation. Occupational therapists who serve this population need to capture outcomes for programming effectively to determine best practice to address these needs. A retrospective documentation review of occupational therapy transition group programming was completed to identify themes and to assess fieldwork student documentation clarity.

Method: Analysis of 162 de-identified treatment notes from the years 2014–2018 was completed for six high school students (HSS) (13 to 20 years of age) who previously participated in a high school …

Effectiveness Of Electronic Documentation: A Case Report, Christie Raymond, Susan Zapf, Ellen Hudgins

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: This case report aims to inform the occupational therapist and other health care professionals of documentation best practices.

Method: This qualitative case report uses an exploratory approach to compare the quality of one participant’s handwritten documentation to her electronic documentation. Outcome measures include the Accuracy Rationale Completeness (ARC) Audit to score the quality of the notes and quantity of words, and an informal discussion with the participant about her experiences using both types of documentation.

Results: The participant’s 25 handwritten notes scored a sum of 321 and the 25 electronic notes scored a …

Capstones: Voices From The Occupational Therapy Profession, Rondalyn V. Whitney, Guy Mccormack

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

No abstract provided.

Exploratory Study Of Children With Sensory Processing Disorder (Spd) Without An Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd) Diagnosis, Breanna Williams, Lauren Brown, Kendall Grzywa, Emma Green

Pediatrics

The purpose of this study was to explore the prevalence of children with sensory processing disorder (SPD) without an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Examples of these diagnoses include attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), cerebral palsy (CP), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), and Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD). This was an exploratory descriptive study that gathered quantitative data through the Sensory Processing Measure (SPM) Home Form. The SPM Home Form was provided by occupational therapy (OT) students and completed by the child’s caregiver. The scores fell into three interpretive ranges: Typical, Some Problems, and Definite Dysfunction. Researchers hypothesized …

The Perceived Effects Of Occupational Therapy Interventions For Those Who Recently Transitioned From Homelessness To Permanent Housing, Sydney Krol, Madison Muir, Katie Johnson, Kristin Hazlett, Kaelyn Hughs

Community Based

OBJECTIVE. The study's objective was to examine the perceived effects of occupational therapy services for families who have recently transitioned to permanent housing from a period of homelessness.

METHOD. The study used a qualitative research design. One family received occupational therapy interventions administered by occupational therapy student researchers. Exit interview was audio recorded and transcribed.Themes and codes were derived from the transcription.

RESULTS. Three themes and seven codes were identified, which encompassed the participants perception of the intervention. The themes were lifestyle transformation, mindset development, and client centered care. The codes were organization and planning, roles and routines, goal progression, …

Barriers And Facilitators To Voting For People With Disabilities In Michigan Rural Communities, Christian Aguilar-Quiroz, Kaylyn Brzys, Chris Paclibar, Kyle Witte

Community Based

Objective: In this study, we sought to investigate and obtain data on the perceived barriers and facilitators that rural Michigan residents with disabilities face throughout the voting process.

Method: We conducted two separate focus groups in two different rural areas of Michigan asking a series of semi-structured questions about the participants’ voting experiences. We obtained recorded interviews, qualitative data, of their answers to these prepared questions.

Results: Physical accessibility was limited by poor lighting for people with low vision problems and a lack of accommodations for those who are not able to stand for a prolonged time while waiting in …

Occupation-Based Learning Modules In Preparation For Parole: A Program Evaluation, Alisha Cheyne, Gabrielle Martino, Elizabeth Vander Wall, Natalie Wallace

Community Based

A qualitative research study was conducted that examined occupational therapy students’ fieldwork rotation at Muskegon Correctional Facility, where they implemented a 15-week pre-parole program. One focus group with three participants was conducted. Transcription, coding, and theming followed, providing five themes; restriction, OT perceptions, learning styles, future needs, and relationships. Results showed areas of needs within this population, ways occupational therapy can address this need, and general improvements that can be made to pre-release programs.

Caregiver Perspective On Sensory Diet And Therapeutic Listening For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder And/Or Sensory Processing Disorder, Mikayla M. Brett, Lynette Zulquairnain, Katlyn Ribant

Pediatrics

Due to the high prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD), there is a high demand for more research on effective interventions in order to improve quality of life and engagement in meaningful occupations for individuals with ASD and/or SPD. Sensory Diet (SD) and Therapeutic Listening © (TL) are interventions commonly utilized with individuals with ASD and/or SPD, however, there is limited research on their combined use. The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of the combined occupational therapy (OT) interventions of SD and TL on the occupational performance of children with ASD …

Redefining The Meanings Of Daily-Occupations And Life Quality Amongst Mothers Living With Their Autistic Children, Eko Sumaryanto, Gandes Mutiara Aziz

International Programs

Raising children with autism is very challenging for mothers due to changes on how occupational performance and occupational roles are performed. This circumstance demands these mothers to redefine the meaning of doing occupations and how they perceive their well-being in general. This study empirically investigates how mothers redefine the meaning of daily activities and self-report their well-being. The study employs in-depth interviews and formulates specific themes of findings. The study uses the phenomenology approach to investigate the dynamics of meanings experienced by the respondents and how they construct the new version of well-being from raising the autistic children.

Sensory Based Interventions In The School Setting: P Entions In The School Setting: Perspectives Of Paraeducators, Lyn Kaiser, Marie-Christine Potvin, Caitlin Beach

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

Background: The purpose of this study was to explore paraeducators’ perceptions of sensory-based interventions (SBIs). Paraeducators are frequently responsible for implementing SBIs to enhance a student’s ability to learn in school. Previous studies have explored the perceptions of teachers and occupational therapists, but as of yet, there are no published studies exploring the perceptions of paraeducators regarding the efficacy of SBIs.

Methods: An ethnographic study was conducted with paraeducators (n = 11) working with students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder or emotional disturbance in a center-based special education program. These paraeducators participated in a focus group or an interview that …

The Adult Public’S Perception Of The Utility Of Play Therapy, Margaret L. Hindman

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Children communicate through symbolism and play as toys are children's words and play is their language (Landreth, 2012; Oaklander, 1988; Piaget, 1951; Ray, 2016). Play therapists facilitate developmentally appropriate support for children (Landreth, 2012). Often parents are unaware of the importance of play in children’s counseling (Brumfield & Christensen, 2011; Landreth, Bratton, Kellam, & Blackard, 2006).

Since adults often make decisions for children, it is important to know adults’ perceptions of play therapy utility. There is little research on parents’ knowledge of mental health services especially research specific to play therapy (Gallo, Comer, & Barlow, 2013; O’Connor & Langer, 2018). …

At The Forefront Of Opportunity: Depaul Initiates Two New Programs To Invigorate The Health Sciences

DePaul Magazine

The demand for highly qualified workers in health-related fields is growing. To help meet specific demands, DePaul's College of Science and Health is laying the groundwork for two new programs: occupational health (OT) and speech language pathology (SLP. The heads of these programs, Kate Barrett and Jayne Jaskolski, explain what professionals in their respective fields do and the range of opportunities that are available to individuals who want to make OT or SLP a career.

Impacts Of Motor And Sensory Impairment On Language In Young Children With Autism, Elizabeth A. Bisi

Clinical Psychology Dissertations

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present with varying degrees of deficit in the broader areas of social communication and stereotyped behaviors, but emerging research proposes delayed motor skill and atypical sensory processing as additional factors worth closer examination. In the current study, I sought to investigate the impacts of visual motor skills and sensory differences on language ability in young children with autism. I hypothesized that young children with autism, atypical sensory processing (Short Sensory Profile, 2^nd Edition), and impaired visual motor integration (Beery VMI, 6^th Edition) would have the most impacted language ability scores (Differential Ability …

An Exploration Of Leadership Qualities Demonstrated During Level Ii Fieldwork, Amy Maurer, Summer Besteman, Jessica Mooney, Katelyn Campbell

Education

Background. Occupational therapy (OT) students are expected to demonstrate leadership qualities throughout their Level II Fieldwork experiences; however, it has been reported that students lack this quality. The purpose of this project was to identify the leadership characteristics that master’s-level OT students demonstrate and develop during their Level II Fieldwork experiences.

Method. This study utilized an online survey tool, Qualtrics, to understand the perceptions of Fieldwork Educators (FWEds) who have taken a Level II Fieldwork student within the past five years. A code-recode procedure was used to analyze open-ended questions. The frequency and mode of responses were used to report …

Older Adults’ Perspectives On Occupational Supports In Alternative Housing Communities, A'Via Coleman, Lisa Goolsby, Kara Lurvey, Elizabeth Von Achen, Heather Veverica

Older Adult

The Problem: Many older adults in the United States wish to age in place but may find their current living environment is not suitable as they age. Alternative housing supports may improve the ability of older adults to live in their own home and community safely while performing necessary occupations.

The Resolution: Alternative housing communities offer a variety of supports that older adults value having access to, even if they are not always utilized including transportation, social interaction, volunteer opportunities, home maintenance, an accessible location, and the togetherness of community.

Efficacy Of Work-Related Training For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder, E. Anderson, L. Hatton, K. Schlager, A. Shea, K. Watlington, M. Ferraro, M. C. Potvin

Student Papers, Posters & Projects

Research suggests that traditional models of work-related training, in addition to a lack of on-the-job support, may exacerbate difficulties experienced by individuals with autism spectrum disorder with obtaining and maintaining employment

The poor employment outcomes experienced by individuals with ASD are well-documented throughout literature and have resulted in the need to examine more effective ways of providing support and work-related interventions.

Although research has investigated the efficacy of work-related training on successful employment outcomes when used with individuals with ASD, a systematic review summarizing this evidence has yet to be published. Therefore, this review examines and interprets current research evidence …