Occupational Therapy Commons^™

A Life History Of Jane Loscheider, Otr/L, Atp, Clt, Ndt, Sydney Person, Brooke Westrich

Oral History Posters

The purpose of this qualitative study was to gather information on individuals whom have contributed in expanding occupational therapy around the states of North Dakota, and Wyoming. The interview contained questions which helped to understand our individuals journey, and the contributions made to influence occupational therapy (OT) around the state of North Dakota. This project was completed through background research and a semi structured interview. The interview was audio recorded and then transcribed verbatim. Codes were then selected from what emerged from the data. The codes then were sorted into categories, themes, and a final assertion. The participant was selected …

Open Access Continuing Education Occupational Therapy Resources For Rural Communities, Amber L. Daly, Emily E. Germolus

Occupational Therapy Capstones

Occupational therapists working in rural areas face a number of barriers when trying to access continuing education courses, which are required to maintain licensure. Some of the largest barriers these practitioners face include: time, cost of the courses, and ease of access. Continuing education often requires travelling, time out of one’s day, and a fee ranging from $25-$300 (North Dakota Occupational Therapy Association [NDOTA], 2016; Continuing education, 2013). The purpose of this scholarly project is to address continuing education requirement-related needs and education access for occupational therapists working in rural areas. Following the completion of a comprehensive literature review and …

Dementia: Incorporating Families And Caregivers In Direct Speech-Language Intervention, Jocelyn Hartley

Online Theses and Dissertations

In a survey, 50% of 1,000 caregivers reported that they received no information on dementia at the time of diagnosis (Thompson & Pulsford, 2012). This statistic provides strong evidence as to why caregivers feel ill-prepared to care for individuals with dementia. The role of a speech-language pathologist (SLP) is suggested to not only treat the individual with dementia, but consider the role and perspective of the caregiver (Watson, Aizawa, Savundranayagam & Orange, 2013). Providing education and training to caregivers of individuals with dementia is within the scope of practice of speech-language pathologists (Watson et al., 2013).

A survey design for …

The Impact Of Sexual Assault On College Students' Daily Occupations: A Phenomenological Approach, Lee Ann Hodge

Online Theses and Dissertations

It is estimated that 1 in 4 women experience sexual violence while in college (Tjaden & Thoennes, 2006), which may result in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Occupational therapy has been used to provide interventions for PTSD, but there is a gap in the literature addressing occupational therapy intervention for college students who have experienced sexual assault. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to inquire into students’ lived experiences of daily occupations while in college after having experienced sexual assault, through thematic analysis of data from two interviews conducted in Kentucky and Ohio. Six meaningful themes were developed: changes in …

Enhancing Child Self-Confidence Of Occupational Performance Through The Use Of A Movement Program, Emily Coleman

Online Theses and Dissertations

Sensorimotor deficits are a result of a child's difficulties processing sensory input in combination with motor incoordination. This can lead to many difficulties for children's occupational performance, which in turn, can lead to a decrease in self-confidence for those children. This mixed-method study, through pre and post test results combined with parent reported data, sought to determine if a movement program that combines motor, sensory, and self-awareness components is an effective means of increasing the self-confidence of children with sensorimotor deficits. The results of this study demonstrate an increase in self-confidence in the ability to complete activities of daily living, …

Exploring Parents' Experiences Of Raising A Child With Sensorimotor Impairments And Expectations For Leisure Participation, Emily Eicher

Online Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this phenomenological study was to explore parents' experiences and expectations of raising a child with sensorimotor impairments and how leisure pursuits impact their expectations of their children. The development and participation in leisure activities is different for these children and could affect the parents' hopes and dreams for their child's future. Six children between the ages of 5-8 years of age, with sensorimotor impairments, participated in a movement program that was held for eight sessions at an outpatient pediatric clinic to address praxis and sensory processing impairments. Six parent dyads were interviewed during the fifth, sixth, seventh, …

No One Fights Alone: Exploring Social Participation Of Young Adults With Cancer, Susan Blake Hodgson

Online Theses and Dissertations

Background: Young adults are relatively understudied and often misrepresented in oncology research and practice, as they are often overlooked or clumped in with pediatric or older adult patients. There is a gap in literature for young adults with cancer and this study was done in an effort to help bridge that gap while exploring social participation along with peer support. Social participation is the interweaving of occupations to support desired engagement in community and family activities as well as those involving peers and friends (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2014). This will not only elicit a better understanding of the impact …

Critically Appraised Paper For “Effect Of Physical Exercise-Movement Strategies Programme On Mobility, Falls, And Quality Of Life In Parkinson's Disease”, April Perez, Morganne Peterson, Raechel Jacala, Kitsum Li

Occupational Therapy | Critically Appraised Papers Series

A research team conducted a Level III prospective, longitudinal study to examine the effect of a standardized rehabilitation program, consisting of regular exercise and movement strategies, on fall risk, mobility, hospitalization, and quality of life for individuals with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD). Over 2 years, 15 participants attended weekly rehabilitation sessions during Year 1 and biweekly sessions during Year 2. The rehabilitation program was designed to improve cardiovascular fitness, strength, flexibility, balance, posture, and gait pattern. Using a pre- and posttest study design, the research team assessed participants at baseline and at Year 1 and Year 2 follow-up evaluations. Using …

Critically Appraised Paper For “Efficacy Of Occupational Therapy For Patients With Parkinson's Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial”, Amber Zadravecz, Hannah Tashjian, Emily White, Stephanie Pawek, Kitsum Li

Occupational Therapy | Critically Appraised Papers Series

Parkinson’s disease is a disabling, progressive condition that hinders occupational performance in daily activities and social participation. Occupational therapy supports engagement in activities that are meaningful to the patient. The purpose of this study was to explore the benefits of occupational therapy in addition to standard care for patients with Parkinson's disease.

An Innovative Behavioral Interview For Pre-Admission Selection Of Occupational Therapy Students, Kitsum Li, Julia L. Wilbarger, Shad St. Louis

Collected Faculty Scholarship

The goal for pre-admission interview is to identify students who will be successful both academically and professionally. The traditional structured pre-admission interview has not been shown to be effective in predicting students’ success in academic and fieldwork performance. This article describes an innovative behavioral interview process during which applicants interviewed simulated clients as part of the preadmission selection process. The goals of the pre-admission behavioral interview were to observe applicants’ behavior as team players, and to assess their interpersonal communication skills, capability to be reflective, and professionalism. During the behavioral interview, faculty interviewers assessed the applicants’ performance in the planning …

Exploration Of The Use Of Sensory Diets In Occupational Therapy, Allison Hunt, Morganne Peterson, Emily White

Student Research Posters

The purpose of this study was to fill the gap in literature and further examine the use of sensory diets in the field of occupational therapy. This study investigated the use of sensory diets among California occupational therapy practitioners. A mixed-methods design was used to collect data through a SurveyMonkey survey. The survey was sent out to members of the Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC) and received 98 respondents within one month. Participants worked among various clinical settings and implemented sensory diets with various client populations. Practitioners reported using terms such as “sensory strategies,” “sensory tools,” and “sensory supports” …

Living With Fragile X Syndrome: Occupations As An Outcome Measure In A Clinical Trial, Kaylee E. Gothelf, Ty Duong, Ana Baldinger, Theresa Chase

Student Research Posters

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of semi-structured interviews as an outcome measure in a clinical trial for children with fragile X syndrome (FXS) ages 2-6. This qualitative approach was used to analyze twenty-five interviews of parents with children in a double-blind medication trial - sertraline or placebo. The aim was to assess occupational improvements in their child that may not have been detected with the use quantitative outcome measures alone. Results showed greater improvements in the sertraline group in areas of behavior, social participation, sensory-related behaviors, receptive language, education, family impact and therapeutic strategies. Our …

Protective Factors And Resilience In Older Adults, Jessica Mcclain, Caroline Lee, Katelyn Gullatt

Student Research Posters

We sought to investigate whether three protective factors, (physical health, social support, and self-efficacy) predict resilience in Marin County older adults to promote successful aging in place. Fifty-eight Marin County participants aged 62 years and older participated in an exploratory cross-sectional quantitative study. Recruited from senior community programs and personal contacts, participants completed four self-report questionnaires. Descriptive and multivariate analyses using SPSS were conducted to investigate the relationship between the key variables. Of the three protective factors, self-efficacy is the most important predictor of resilience. Physical health and social support are important predictors of self-efficacy. In conclusion, three protective factors …

Therapeutic Listening® - Quickshifts Support For Pediatric Intervention, Bryant Luong, Ann Malloy, Shannon Preto

Student Research Posters

Few empirical studies have been conducted to provide evidence for the effectiveness of Therapeutic Listening - Quickshifts (TL-Q). Anecdotally, TL-Q has produced consistent positive results for therapists and clients as a pediatric intervention. Therefore, it is imperative to research TL-Q’s efficacy, which may lead to its broader implementation. In this study, the researchers examined the effectiveness of TL-Q intervention for children with sensory processing difficulties to improve participation and function in 1) school performance, (2) self-regulation and arousal, (3) activities of daily living (ADLs), (4) social/emotional skills, and (5) sensorimotor skills. Over the course of an 8 week prospective study, …

Outcomes Of Project-Based Therapy In Individuals With Autism, Sarah L. Yoder, Jason Ichimaru, Emily Lu, Nghi Tran

Student Research Posters

As the number of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) entering adulthood grows, it is crucial to identify interventions that can help this population acquire adaptive behaviors necessary for independent living and employment. This study aimed to identify how Autisty Studio’s project-based therapy impacts this population’s engagement in adaptive behaviors.The study utilized the Brief Adaptive Behavior Scale (BABS), a quantitative assessment informed by the BRIEF-2 and the Vineland-II, to measure improvements in adaptive behaviors in 11 participants at Autistry Studios. Specifically, the BABS measured frequency (Frq), highest level of assistance (LoAHigh) required, and lowest level of assistance (LoALow) required to …

Measuring The Effects Of Therapeutic Listening - Quickshifts, Hannah Tashjian, Phoebe Taasan, Donielle Hair

Student Research Posters

This study examines a structured protocol to measure the effects of daily individualized use of Therapeutic Listening - Quickshifts (TL-Q) used to improve occupational performance in children with learning and developmental disabilities. The study identifies a standardized practice-based evidence procedure to measure the outcomes of implementing TL-Q within traditional OT practice. OTs worldwide are using sound-based therapies (SBTs) despite limited supporting evidence available regarding the productivity of these interventions. Even fewer studies have been published on the effects of Therapeutic Listening (TL), a novel intervention shown to increase personal and interpersonal skills including sensory processing skills, visual motor integration, and …

Critically Appraised Paper For “The Effect Of Modified Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy On Spasticity And Motor Function Of The Affected Arm In Patients With Chronic Stroke.”, Jacqueline Bloom, Emily Lu, Matt Tong, Kitsum Li

Occupational Therapy | Critically Appraised Papers Series

This study explored the effect of modified constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) on the spasticity and functional use of the affected arm and hand among persons of working age who presented with spastic hemiplegia resulting from a stroke that occurred more than 6 months ago. The researchers developed a modified CIMT program for use in an outpatient rehabilitation clinic with intensive and varied exercise training aimed at targeting the negative symptoms of spastic hemiplegia. Previous research on CIMT has taken place in laboratory settings and has not specifically focused on CIMT’s effects on spasticity.

The researchers used a battery of assessments …

Sleep In College Students: A Mixed Methods Study, Savannah Hancock, Jacqueline Bloom, Charlotte Sally, Rhianna Wallace

Student Research Posters

College students in particular have chronically restricted sleep patterns and experience more daytime sleepiness, and physical and mental health issues than their same-aged peers who are not students. Sleep is an emerging area of research and intervention for occupational therapists. The purpose of this study was to identify and investigate how college student’s beliefs about sleep affect their quality of sleep. This study asked: how do beliefs and attitudes about sleep affect sleep quality and participation in valued occupations in college students? Four college students were interviewed regarding their sleep beliefs and attitudes. They also completed a two-week sleep diary …

Validation Of The Medication Box Task Assessment, Katherine Blank, Alison Chandler, Malcolm Isely, Serena Soria, Yamin Zaw

Student Research Posters

Individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) may experience challenges in their everyday occupational performance due to cognitive impairments. Cognitive tabletop and occupation-based assessments are used to evaluate cognition in individuals with ABI. There is a need for cognitive occupation-based assessments as they possess ecological validity: a reflection of an individual’s occupational performance in daily life. This study aimed to validate the Medication Box Task assessment in its use as a cognitive occupation-based assessment. The results of the Medication Box Task assessment were compared against the results of a battery of five gold standard tabletop assessments. Pearson correlations showed significant correlations …

Occupational Therapy In The Intensive Care Unit, Michelle Chan, Kelsie Colombini, Kristen M. Henderson, Courtney Malachowski

Student Research Posters

In recent years, the number of inpatient cardiovascular surgeries has significantly increased in hospitals around America. Occupational therapists in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center (Burlingame, California) currently lack a standard protocol for addressing physical, cognitive, and psychosocial factors in patients post cardiac surgery. Furthermore, interventions are frequently guided by professional experience and clinical reasoning instead of current evidence. The American Occupational Therapy Association’s Centennial Vision encourages occupational therapists to pursue science-driven practices and provide evidence-based interventions. In response to this vision, an extensive review of current literature was conducted and applied to develop an evidence-based clinical …