Occupational Therapy Commons^™

Occupational Therapy's Involvement With The Ymca In Developing A Program To Address Activities Of Daily Living In Those With Parkinson's Disease, Michaela Johnson, Emilea Berhow

Occupational Therapy Capstones

The purpose of Occupational Therapy’s involvement with the YMCA in Developing a Program to Address Activities of Daily Living in Those with Parkinson’s Disease was to create a protocol that addresses the needs of those with Parkinson’s Disease (PD), specifically focusing on the area of activities of daily living (ADL). Through the use of occupational therapy perspectives and techniques, this program focuses on increasing and/or maintaining independence and safety during daily tasks in those with PD.

This program was influenced by the Person-Environment-Occupation model due to the transactional approach towards occupational performance. This model focuses on finding the best “fit” …

Generationactive: Creating Healthier Communities Two Generations At A Time, Jerrica Thiel, Mallory Manecke

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Obesity has become an epidemic across all ages, as the prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled over the last 40 years (World Health Organization, 2017-a). Obesity can have a detrimental impact on the health and future of Americans, as many diseases are correlated with obesity. Diabetes, which often occurs secondary to obesity and is the 7th leading cause of death in America, is similarly on the rise (CDC, 2012). To combat these issues, there is a great need for a health promotion initiative that provides individuals of all ages an opportunity to learn about health and wellness, to take steps …

Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Lavonne Fox, Ph.D., Otr/L, Drew Mapes, Hannah Halbakken

Oral History Student Papers

The purpose of this qualitative life history study was to gather information about the history and evolution of occupational therapy (OT) practice in North Dakota and Wyoming through life histories of individuals who have been influential in developing OT in these two states. The individual chosen for this study was Lavonne Fox. A purposive sampling method was used to select the participant for the study. A semi-structured interview was done with Lavonne Fox at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. The researchers transcribed the interview data verbatim. From this data, codes, categories, themes, and assertions …

Life History Of Maggie Butler, Cota/L, Justine Flattum, Katie Stewart

Oral History Posters

The life history of Maggie Butler was one of 31 life history interviews conducted as a part of a larger project of Life Histories of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Developing Occupational Therapy (OT) in North Dakota and Wyoming. The purpose of the Life History is to gather information about the history and evolution of the OT practice from individuals like Maggie Butler who have been influential in developing OT in these two states. A life history is a powerful way to provide current and future generations of occupational therapists a view of the history of how OT practice …

Evolution Of Occupational Therapy Practice: Life History Of Anne Haskins, Phd, Otr/L, Dayton Bender, Shaina Simonson

Oral History Posters

This life history is one of 31 life history interviews which contribute to a larger project, Life Histories of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Developing Occupational Therapy (OT), in North Dakota and Wyoming. The purpose of this life history study is to gather information about the history and evolution of occupational therapy practice (OT) in North Dakota and Wyoming through life histories of individuals who have been influential in developing OT in these two states. This study is intended to provide current and future generations of occupational therapy practitioners a view of history and OT practice has evolved from …

Life History Of Michael Nelson Mot, Otr/L, Krista Steinbeisser, Mackenzie Meidinger

Oral History Posters

Purpose: This life history report is one of 31 life history interviews, which are a part of a larger project, Life History of Individuals Who Have Been Influential in Developing Occupational Therapy (OT) in North Dakota and Wyoming. The purpose of this project is to gather information through life histories of individuals who have been influential in developing practice. It is anticipated that the life history process will be a powerful way to gather this information. This study is intended to provide current and future generations of occupation therapists a view of history and how occupational therapy practice has evolved …

Pinch Testing Positions Among Certified Hand Therapists: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Sueann R. Woods, Christa Lilly

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: Pinch strength is indicative of later functional hand use following injury to hand. However, we believe clinicians (and more specifically CHTs) currently do not use a consistent measurement of pinch grip, despite availability of a “gold standard” of current (2015) ASHT standards for measuring pinch grip.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey (N = 175, 35% response) was designed to determine whether CHTs adhere to the standardized testing position for palmar pinch strength as recommended by the ASHT.

Results: Results determined that only 5.7% (n = 10) of the CHTs surveyed complete the entire ASHT standardized testing …

Education On Fall Prevention To Improve Self-Efficacy Of Nursing Staff In Long Term Care: A Pilot Study, Mark D. Leverenz, Jennifer Lape

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Fall prevention is an ongoing concern in long-term care. Self-efficacy of nursing staff affects their performance levels related to fall prevention. Research concerning falls in the elderly is plentiful but there are no published studies addressing self-efficacy of nursing staff for implementation of fall prevention strategies in long-term care. The authors hypothesize that fall prevention education by an occupational therapist would be effective to improve the self-efficacy of nursing staff for implementation of fall prevention strategies and self-efficacy to prevent resident falls.

Method: A pre-test post-test pilot study implementing a five-week, multifaceted, fall prevention education course was conducted by …

Fragile X Syndrome And Family Occupations: Sertraline Treatment, Tracy Ye, Decerie Mendoza, Elena A. Javier, Martina C. Dualan

Student Research Posters

Current research on children with Fragile X Syndrome (FXS) lacks inclusion of qualitative outcomes on the child’s daily occupational performance. Standardized measurements are frequently utilized and provide useful information, however, can be less sensitive to change (Berry Kravis et al., 2013) and miss capturing family perspectives and improvements within meaningful occupations. This research incorporates family perspectives via semi-structured interviews to promote an in-depth understanding about FXS and its impact on child and family occupations in addition to standardized assessment scores through in-depth case study analysis. This study used a mixed method research design examining four male participants who were given …

A Sensory-Based Program To Enhance Occupational Performance For Dementia, Naomi Grace Wong, Jacob Joseph Gantan, Ivy Annahi Torres-Flores, Heather Anne August

Student Research Posters

Dementia is a neurological disease, causing behavioral and cognitive symptoms, that progressively impairs an individual’s ability to engage in meaningful activities. Progressive deterioration associated with dementia impacts occupational performance and independence and quality of life. Sensory based interventions, such as drumming groups, have been hypothesized to be a non-pharmacological intervention for individuals with dementia. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of a sensory based intervention program, in this case participation in a drumming group, on functional engagement during self-feeding for individuals with dementia. Researchers gathered data over the course of two days using the Functional Behavior …

Exploratory Application Of A Sensory Activity Schedule In Head Start Preschool, Marian Perez, Elaine Wong, Michelle Perryman

Student Research Posters

Objective: The objective of this research is to determine whether the implementation of sensory activity schedule in a preschool classroom can increase the on-task behaviors of the students.

Methods: Three students were recruited to participate in a quantitative multiple single subject design with qualitative follow-up study. The participants performed sensorimotor activities before circle time and were monitored for frequency of their off-task behavior using a time sampling frequency data collection. Afterwards, the head teacher was interviewed to discuss the experience.

Results: Off-task behavior decreased from baseline on all three children, which supports the efficacy of sensory activity schedule in reducing …

The Impact Of Fall Efficacy On Occupational Performance In Community-Dwelling Older Adults, Michelle Fong, Araya Moua, Erin Denola, Merit Franklin

Student Research Posters

Falls are a major health concern in the older adult (OA) population. While there is research on falls and their prevention, research on how low fall efficacy (FE) impacts the occupational engagement of the OA population is limited. FE is defined as the confidence a person has in his/her ability to complete a task without falling (Tinetti & Powell, 1993). A qualitative study was conducted using a phenomenological approach to explore the lived experiences of OAs with low FE and the impact on occupational performance. Participants who scored ≤ 6 on the Modified Fall Efficacy Scale (MFES) engaged in a …

Assistive Technology And The Impact Of Occupations, Chelsea Golding, Chantelle Bond, Vhernna Fernandez, Eizelle Barrientos

Student Research Posters

Objective: The purpose of this research was to empirically examine the occupational impact of assistive technology - AT (with a specific focus on word prediction, text to speech and speech recognition) from the perspectives of the end user, family and school personnel (e.g. teachers, therapists & specialists) across various contexts (e.g. home, school, community).

Method: Qualitative data included semi-structured interviews, audio and video recordings, and records reviews. The data was coded and analyzed using a constant comparison method to identify themes pertaining to the occupational use of AT and thusly the impact to overall occupational performance.

Findings: Six themes were …

Occupational Responses Of Older Adults Following Partner Loss, Carol Huang, Jane Song, Peter Behr, Stephanie Sterner

Student Research Posters

Spousal loss has been frequently identified as a life stressor that can greatly impede one’s ability to age at home. The purpose of this study is to identify the occupational changes that commonly result after this event and their impacts on one’s ability to age in place. This study utilized a qualitative phenomenological research design. Eight participants were recruited from an educational program for older adults and were interviewed using a semi-structured interview format. Researchers transcribed and coded all interviews to determine emergent themes. Two major categories of themes were found: occupational and intrinsic responses. The areas of occupation that …

National Survey Of Lymphedema Therapists’ Dosing Of Complete Decongestive Therapy In Breast Cancer Survivors With Lymphedema, Katie M. Polo, Peter J. Rundquist, Nathaniel D. Krumdick, Gail L. Gamble

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify dosing levels of complete decongestive therapy (CDT) with survivors with Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema (BCRL) and describe factors related to how occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapists, and physical therapists assistants with advanced lymphedema training determine dosing.

Methods: An electronic survey was sent to 598 occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, physical therapists, and physical therapists assistants with training in lymphedema. Respondents completed questions regarding demographics, dosing practices, and factors related to dose determination in complete decongestive therapy of survivors with Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema.

Results: 107 surveys were returned (18% response rate). …

Caregiver Selection Of Treatments For Their Child With Autism, Amy Kurowski-Burt

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This project was completed to understand what treatments caregivers are selecting for their child with autism and why treatments were selected and discontinued. Caregivers of children with autism participated in a mixed methods study. An online survey was completed (N=127) to identify treatments used for their child. Interviews were completed (n=14) to understand why treatments were selected and discontinued. Selection of medical, dietary, therapeutic, complimentary/ alternative medicine, community-based, behavioral, and educational treatments were mostly influenced by recommendations of others. Caregivers reported discontinuing because relationships and professionalism were lacking between provider and family. Providers must consider all the variables that influence …

The Impact Of Story-Based Video Back Injury Prevention Training On Employee Motivation, Engagement, Knowledge, And Behavior, M. Courtney Hughes, Emaley Mcculloch, Elise Valdes

Faculty Articles, Papers, and Other Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Exploring Student-Led Interprofessional Education Through A Community Service Project, Lindsay Ann Doerschuk

EWU Masters Thesis Collection

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to explore the effectiveness of a student-led interprofessional education (IPE) workshop in improving student attitudes and perceptions toward IPE. Students from four health science programs including Dental Hygiene, Communication Sciences and Disorders/Speech and Hearing, Health Services Administration and Occupational Therapy participated in a community service event. Students provided screenings to veteran patients including a health history intake, hearing test, and sleep screening while other students observed.

Methods: Students were asked to attend an orientation, the Vets Day IPE workshop, and a debrief session. This mixed methods approach study utilized the Readiness for Interprofessional …

Applying The Social Change Model Of Leadership To An Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program, Lorry Liotta-Kleinfeld, Debra Gibbs, Yvette Hachtel, Teresa Plummer

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Occupational therapy educators are tasked with preparing the future leaders in the profession. This responsibility requires a thoughtful and evidence based approach to reviewing and revising curricula to address changing professional and societal needs while aligning with a university’s mission and vision. While the need for occupational therapy leadership has been a topic of much discussion in the literature, little has been written about evidence-based curricular practices to develop and prepare students for leadership roles. This article demonstrates how one entry-level occupational therapy doctorate program incorporated the underpinnings of the Social Change Model of Leadership Development (Wagner, 2006) into the …

Professional Behaviors And Fieldwork: A Curriculum Based Model In Occupational Therapy, Gabrielle R. Hackenberg, Susan Toth-Cohen

Journal of Occupational Therapy Education

Professional behaviors have been identified as imperative for fieldwork success in occupational therapy, and are held to high expectations by fieldwork educators. This study consisted of three phases. Phase one was a retrospective analysis of past Fieldwork Performance Evaluations (FWPE; n=319). Phase two consisted of the development of a curricular model and Level I Fieldwork Seminar with a focus on low-scoring professional behaviors on the FWPEs, which included verbal/ non-verbal communication, written communication, professional responsibility, work behaviors, and time management. Finally, phase three was a review of the course by the Philadelphia Region Fieldwork Consortium and edits to the seminar …