bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The idea of justice
Authors: Sen Amartya
Published: December 2014

The articles included in this symposium on my book The Idea of Justice cover a wide variety of issues, which is not surprising since my book too addresses a number of distinct problems, reflecting very different concerns connected with the idea of justice. In my response I have discussed each article individually. While most of the authors have been very kind to my attempt to reshape the theory of justice, there are also important critical issues raised in some articles, and I have discussed how some of these concerns can be – very fruitfully – accommodated. In other cases, I have offered clarificatory discussion, and in a few cases also counter-arguments. I have also responded to suggestions for practical application of my approach to justice. Altogether, I have benefited greatly from the symposium, and would like to record my appreciation.
How library and information science academic administrators perceive e-learning in LIS schools
Authors: Islam Md. Shiful , Kunifuji Susumu , Miura Motoki , Hayama Tessai
Published: December 2014

How library and information science (LIS) academic administrators perceive e-learning (EL) in LIS schools is examined, particularly what LIS academic administrators see as the merits and demerits of using EL, what types of constraints they face in using EL to provide LIS education, and how they overcome the constraints of EL systems in LIS schools. An exploratory online email interview was conducted, using a link to a questionnaire, with 85 LIS academic administrators around the world in order to gather perceptions and experiences regarding EL usage in LIS schools. The respondents reported some major merits, demerits, and some constraints, which they face in using EL systems in their schools. They also proposed the design of a long-range plan for EL growth, the implementation of interactive and online office hours, and the establishment of consortia across universities to overcome constraints on EL usage in LIS education. The respondents had neither highly-positive nor highly-negative opinions about EL usage in LIS schools.
The experience of Korean academic librarianship
Authors: Kendrick Kaetrena Davis
Published: December 2014

There are numerous quantitative studies about job satisfaction, career choice, and perceptions of academic librarianship in professional Library and Information Science literature; however, not much qualitative work has been done to understand the lived experience of librarianship in any setting. A phenomenological study was conducted to understand the experiences of Korean academic librarians working in South Korea. Themes covering several aspects of academic librarianship emerged, linking career choice, LIS education and career readiness, relationships with faculty and students, and the development of professional librarianship and academic libraries in South Korea. In addition to adding personal context to quantitative studies about these issues, the phenomenological method used in this study enhances comparative librarianship literature by highlighting the universality and nuances of academic librarianship practice on a global scale.
Information literacy in Zanzibar universities
Authors: Omar Abbas Mohamed , Haji Haji Ali , Mwitumbe Khamis Hamad
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this paper is to examine the current situation and the future of information literacy programs in Zanzibar universities by looking at information literacy awareness, the extent of information literacy provision and the role of university libraries in promoting it. The survey was conducted in three universities of Zanzibar, where university library staff, deans and directors of schools/ faculties, heads of departments and undergraduate students were involved in the study. A total of 200 respondents participated in the study and the results were analyzed quantitatively. The findings show that a certain degree of information literacy awareness exists among library and academic staff, though promotion and provision of its skills are still in the infancy stages. Inadequate numbers of qualified information literacy specialists, lack of background in teaching information literacy and lack of cooperation between librarians and faculty members were identified as the sources of the problems. Based on the findings, the researchers made a number of recommendations to address the shortcomings, which include: organize information literacy seminars and workshops, create awareness programs, design and implement information literacy curriculum and course content.
Information evaluation and the individual’s cognitive state
Authors: Shenton Andrew K. , Pickard Alison J. , Johnson Andrew
Published: December 2014

This paper explores, on the basis of their cognitive states, the likely inclinations of a group of young people in England with regard to evaluating Web-based information. The work draws on data submitted via an online questionnaire by 82 16–18 year-olds. Frequency counts were generated and each participant received a ‘trust disposition’ score according to their questionnaire responses. The results present a mixed picture in terms of the probable tendencies of young people to evaluate information. The participants’ data in relation to some of the issues addressed in the questionnaire suggest that they may be inclined to accept much of what they see without challenging it, although few of their overall trust disposition scores are significantly high.
London pride in context
Authors: Attar Karen
Published: December 2014

The treasures volume, showcasing rare, beautiful, or significant items, is proliferating in 21st century Britain. This is despite the alternative of the World Wide Web to provide a cheaper, quicker, easier way for libraries to publicize their choicest holdings. But what is the treasures volume really doing, and how indicative are its contents of our most valuable items? This article is based upon the author’s experience of selecting 60 items for the 2012 treasures volume, Senate House Library, University of London. It describes the rationale behind the choices and contextualizes within the genre in the United Kingdom more widely, looking at other treasures volumes and at web displays, to generalize about libraries’ presentations of themselves. It notes emphasis on unique, distinctive, and relevant items and on institutional identity, and interprets the modern treasures volume as a political document to justify libraries’ existence by highlighting their distinguishing features.
Relationships of Cognitive Performance and Daily Function of Clients following Right Hemisphere Stroke: Predictive and Ecological Validity of the LOTCA Battery
Authors: Katz Noomi , Hartman-Maeir Adina , Ring Haim , Soroker Nachum
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of cognitive performance, as measured by the Loewenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA) battery, to daily function in patients following right hemisphere stroke. Furthermore, to explore the predictive power of cognitive performance using the LOTCA at the first rehabilitative stage after stroke to long-term functional outcomes. The method was a longitudinal research design at 3 points in time: admission to rehabilitation; discharge from the rehabilitation hospital; and at follow-up, six months after discharge, which in some cases reached one year post onset. Subjects were 40 consecutive patient admissions to a rehabilitation hospital. All patients were right-handed adults with a CT-proven, first, single, right hemispheric stroke. Based on their total cutoff score in the Behavioral Inattention Test (BIT) for unilateral spatial neglect, patients were divided into 2 subgroups: 19 with neglect and 21 without neglect. Instruments included the LOTCA, the Functional Independence Measure (FIM), the Rabideau Kitchen Evaluation and Phone use. Results showed that right hemispheric stroke patients with unilateral spatial neglect performed at a lower level than patients without neglect on all measures of cognitive skills, as well as daily functional tasks as measured by the FIM and kitchen tasks. Differences were significant in all testing periods. Relationships between cognitive and functional measures showed that visuomotor organization and thinking operations correlated at moderate to high levels in both subgroups. The predictive results from admission to follow-up suggest that unilateral spatial neglect is the major predictor of activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) task performance, however cognitive skills, especially the more complex integrated visuomotor and thinking skills, were significantly related to functional outcomes in the non-neglect group. Thus, they are crucial in the assessment of stroke patients. The predictive and ecological validity of the LOTCA battery was supported.
Participatory Research in a Mental Health Clubhouse
Authors: Townsend Elizabeth , Birch Diane E. , Langley Jack , Langille Lynn
Published: December 2014

Participatory research, also known as participatory action research, has its roots in communities around the world, particularly in Africa, Asia, and South America. The fundamental characteristics are that people who have experienced oppression become researchers. They generate knowledge and disseminate findings through consciousness raising, social critique, and social change with the explicit aim of transforming their oppression into empowerment. Through participatory research, people with long standing mental health problems, for example, may be able to transform their oppression into empowerment. Articles on participatory research generally report a single research project. This paper analyzes a portion of the data from a two-year institutional ethnography of a participatory research program. Presented here is an analysis that: 1) addresses the questions: What is research? and Who is driving research? and, 2) offers a critical perspective on the social organization of knowledge (and ruling power) when members and staff of a mental health clubhouse take up research as an occupation. Highlighted are power inequities between participants and the importance of social critique in participatory research. The paper includes reflections on participatory research as a form of client-centered practice in which clubhouse members and staff can engage together in a meaningful occupation.
Playfulness in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Leipold Elizabeth E. , Bundy Anita C.
Published: December 2014

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may negatively affect children's play; thus, play and play assessment are important areas for occupational therapists' investigation. The purpose of this study was to (a) compare Test of Playfulness (ToP) (Bundy, 1997a) scores of children with and without ADHD, and (b) examine unexpected responses in the data that might suggest a different hierarchy of items when the ToP is applied to children with ADHD. There were two groups comprising 50 children (34 boys, 16 girls) ranging in age from 5 to 14 years; 25 had ADHD.

The mean ToP score of children with ADHD was significantly lower than that of children without ADHD (t = −3.49; P= .001). The primary deficits characterizing ADHD also effected playfulness. The three most problematic areas were internal control, intrinsic motivation, and framing. While data from 92% of the children with ADHD conformed to the hierarchy of items established by Rasch analysis, 3 items (mischief, teasing/joking, and clowning) yielded unexpectedly high scores for a high percentage of the children suggesting that these items may be relatively easier for children with ADHD. Implications and the need for further research are discussed.
Differences in Activities of Daily Living Process Skills of Persons with and without Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Cooke Kathryn Z. , Fisher Anne G. , Mayberry Wanda , Oakley Frances
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine if persons with dementia of the Alzheimer type (DAT) differed from nondisabled older controls in the actual, experienced difficulty of specific process skills that affect performance of activities of daily living (ADL). A two-group comparison was performed and all participants were evaluated in either clinical or home environments to which they had been familiarized. Participants (341 persons with DAT and 287 controls) were selected from the standardization sample of the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) computer-scoring software. The demographic characteristics of the two groups were comparable. The AMPS was used to evaluate the effort, efficiency, safety, and independence of 20 ADL process skills that are compiled to enact performance of familiar ADL tasks. The raw data for each sample was subjected to many-faceted Rasch analysis to determine item difficulty calibrations of the ADL process skill items for each group. Actual item difficulty calibrations of 19 ADL process skills differed meaningfully between the two groups. The results indicated that it is possible to identify specific ADL process skills that are actually easier or more difficult for each group. In addition, the results supported earlier research that has demonstrated that the underlying cognitive and physical impairments demonstrated by persons with DAT do manifest as ADL disability, negatively impacting their ability to perform ADL tasks.
The Contribution of Gender, Orthographic, Finger Function, and Visual-Motor Processes to the Prediction of Handwriting Status
Authors: Weintraub Naomi , Graham Steve
Published: December 2014

The present study examined if orthographic, finger function, and visual-motor processes as well as gender made a unique and significant contribution to the prediction of the handwriting status of fifth grade students classified as good or poor handwriters. Visual-motor integration and finger functioning made a unique and significant contribution to the prediction of handwriting status, whereas gender and orthographic processes did not. Furthermore, knowledge of children's gender, finger functioning, and visual-motor status resulted in the correct classification of 77% of the participating students as good or poor handwriters.
Comparison of Baseline Instruments to the Jamar Dynamometer and the B&L Engineering Pinch Gauge
Authors: Mathiowetz Virgil , Vizenor Leah , Melander Denise
Published: December 2014

This study compared different types of grip and pinch strength measurement devices to determine their inter-instrument reliability and concurrent validity. The study included 40 females and 40 males who were tested on 2 types of grip and pinch strength measurement devices using a repeated measure design. Results indicated that the Jamar and Baseline hydraulic dynamometers have acceptable inter-instrument reliability and concurrent validity (i.e., they measure grip strength equivalently) and can be used interchangeably. Thus, therapists using the Baseline dynamometer are justified in using published normative data that were collected with the jamar dynamometer. In contrast, Baseline regular and hydraulic pinch gauges did not measure tip, hey, and palmer pinch strength equivalently with the B&L Engineering pinch gauge. As a result, therapists using Baseline pinch gauges are not justified in using published normative data that were collected with the B&L Engineering pinch gauge. Therapists should not interchange different types of grip and pinch strength measurement devices unless there is evidence that they measure equivalently.
Measuring Parent/Professional Interaction in Early Intervention: Validity and Reliability
Authors: Goetz Amy L. , Gavin William , Lane Shelly J.
Published: December 2014

This study examines the validity and reliability of a new tool, the Family Provider Interaction Analysis (FPIA), designed to evaluate the quality of family/provider relationship regarding its degree of family-centeredness. The FPIA analyzes family/professional interactions by classifying behaviors into one of 11 verbal behavior categories. The validity and reliability of this tool were explored by having 4 trained subjects use the FPIA to rate 3 videotaped family/provider interaction sessions, which were predetermined to represent varying degrees of family-centered service delivery. Face validity was partially supported because chi-square analysis revealed significant differences in the frequency of FPIA categories observed between the family-centered session as compared to the nonfamily-centered session. Examination of the reliability of the tool revealed coefficients ranging from Rho = .17 to Rho = 1.0 for intrarater reliability and from Rho = .01 to Rho = .77 for interrater reliability. The results demonstrate potential for the use of this tool as an objective measure of the degree to which family/provider interactions depict family-centered services. Pending further scrutiny, the FPIA has implications as programs strive for services to be of higher quality, more comprehensive, and more efficient to meet the needs of the families they support.
Cluster Analysis of Scores of Children on the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests
Authors: Mulligan Shelley
Published: December 2014

A cluster analysis of scores of 1961 children on the Sensory Integration and Praxis (SIPT) tests was performed to explore subgroupings of children referred for SIPT testing, and to provide information concerning the validity of the six profiles currently used in the SIPT interpretation process. The results yielded a five rather than a six cluster solution, including the following profiles: Low-average Bilateral Integration and Sequencing; Dyspraxia; Generalized Sensory Integration Dysfunction and Dyspraxia-Severe; Generalized Sensory Integration Dysfunction and Dyspraxia-Moderate, and Average Sensory Integration and Praxis. Clinical implications of the results of this study related to SIPT interpretation are discussed.
Habit: What's the Brain Got to Do with It?
Authors: Dunn Winifred Wiese
Published: December 2014

Habits form the basis of many human behaviors. They can support daily routines, but they also can become cumbersome and interfere with a satisfying life. This article introduces the construct of habits on a continuum, from habit impoverishment, a condition in which habits are not available to support daily life, to habit domination, a condition in which habits consume so much energy that they interfere with a satisfying life. Habits have been studied from the points of view of many disciplines. This article invites readers to study habits from a neuroscience point of view. A number of neuroscience principles explain how habits can be formed and how they might be supported within the nervous system. The article introduces the concepts of thresholds for action, modulation, and motivation to reestablish homeostasis. These constructs are used to propose a model for interpreting behavior that incorporates neuroscience principles and related behavioral responses. The article explains these patterns of responding in relation to adaptive and maladaptive behavior.
Patterns of Positive Social Engagement among Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Zautra Alex J. , Hamilton Nancy , Yocum David
Published: December 2014

This article examines the role of positive events in older women's adaptation to rheumatoid arthritis. In one study, women with rheumatoid arthritis were compared with healthy older women. The women with rheumatoid arthritis showed a less-active pattern of social engagement than the healthy women, and less-stable patterns over time. In a second study, women with rheumatoid arthritis participated in an intervention designed to enhance active patterns of social engagement. The intervention succeeded in increasing positive social-engagement patterns. Improvements in quality of life and reduction in disease activity coincided with these changes. Most improvements in well-being did not last, but the women's beliefs in their capacity to cope with their illness were enhanced, and those beliefs remained significantly higher than levels before the intervention.
Purpose in Life and Coping with Knee-Replacement Surgery
Authors: Smith Bruce W. , Zautra Alex J.
Published: December 2014

The study reported in this article examined the role of a sense of purpose in life in recovery from total knee-replacement surgery in 59 older people. Participants completed questionnaires two weeks before, four weeks after, and six months after surgery. Regression analyses predicted health at six months from purpose in life, controlling for initial health and age, education, and gender. The results revealed that purpose in life was directly related to better mental health and indirectly related, through active coping, to better physical health. The findings support the efforts of occupational therapists to increase purposeful habits of living.
Effects of Activity Limitation and Routinization on Mental Health
Authors: Williams Jason
Published: December 2014

Habit was measured as a trait of routinization in a sample of 72 older people selected as participants in a study of major life stressors and mental health. The relationship between routinization and psychological distress was assessed by tests of main effects and interactions of one component of routinization (disliking disruption in daily activity), activity limitation and perceived health, and recent stressful life events. Both sets of multiple regression tests of these variables showed significant triple interactions qualifying the significant main effects. The interactions complemented one another, revealing that less routinized participants reported greater distress when experiencing ill health and higher levels of negative events. These effects did not appear for the more highly routinized participants, however. The latter group showed high levels of distress regardless of their activity limitation or perceived health. The results suggest that routinization (in the form of disliking disruption in daily living) is associated with distress beyond the effects of major life stressors.
Habits: Do We Practice What We Preach?
Authors: Rogers Joan C.
Published: December 2014

Of the myriad ideas presented at and stimulated by the January 1999 research conference on habit, a select few seemed to have the most salience for practice: understanding the nature of habits; following skill training with habit training; attending to habits in a context; anticipating that a breakdown of daily-living habits may lead to a breakdown of skill; and recognizing that the repetitiveness of habits can lead to boredom. This article briefly elaborates on each of these ideas.
The Concepts of Habit and Routine: A Preliminary Theoretical Synthesis
Authors: Clark Florence A.
Published: December 2014

Although a number of diverse research areas underscore the importance of habit and routine, there has been little theoretical coherence to this work considered as a whole. Varying definitions of habit and routine, as well as the extremely broad range of phenomena to which they apply, have hampered the ability to develop any overarching synthesis. In connection with a recent conference sponsored by the American Occupational Therapy Foundation, this article offers a preliminary theoretical synthesis of habit and routine with respect to definitional issues, relation to quality of life, and potential benefits to consumers with disabilities.
Interlimb Coupling and Left Hemiplegia Because of Right Cerebral Vascular Accident
Authors: Rice Martin S. , Newell Karl M.
Published: December 2014

This study examined interlimb coupling in a left hemiplegic population. Participants were 20 healthy individuals and 18 individuals who were status post right cerebral vascular accident with left hemiparesis. Participants oscillated each elbow at both preferred-unilateral and preferred-symmetrical bilateral rates. One-tailed paired t-tests using frequency of oscillation and peak velocity supported the hypothesis that the unaffected limb would adapt its movement dynamics from the unilateral to the bilateral movement conditions (ps < .0125), while the affected limb did not differ its performance across the unilateral and bilateral conditions (ps > .0125). No significance (p > .0125) was found between the unilateral and bilateral performances for either of the normal group's limbs. This study suggests that during bilateral movements, the affected limb may constrain the unaffected limb. More research is needed to examine the coupling relationship between the affected and unaffected limbs and how occupation may facilitate the ability to adapt to novel situations.
The Test of Playfulness and Children with Physical Disabilities
Authors: Harkness Lynne , Bundy Anita C.
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine reliability and validity of the Test of Play fulness (ToP) (Bundy, 1998) with children who have physical disabilities but no known cognitive limitations, to compare their scores with those of able-bodied peers, and to examine any patterns of difference in test items between groups. Data from all of the children in the normative ToP data set meeting inclusion criteria (n = 25) were paired with data from the able-bodied child in the normative ToP data set who was closest in age and of the same gender. Data for all of the children were gathered during two, 15-minute video taped free play sessions. Playfulness was evaluated on 24 items. Rasch analysis revealed evidence that 100% of the raters scored the ToP reliably and data from 88% of the children with disabilities conformed to the pattern of playfulness typical of most of the children represented in the test's normative data set. Four ToP items accounted for most of the unexpected ratings. The mean ToP score of the two groups did not differ. Although decreased playfulness does not appear to be a sequela to physical disability, future research is needed to monitor ToP validity and potential differences in patterns of playfulness in children who have physical disabilities.
Labovian Analysis of a Manager's Tale of Distress: “It All Worked Out”
Authors: Bailey Diana M.
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate that Labovian analysis can be useful to occupational therapy researchers who wish to understand and develop models to study clinical narratives. This qualitative study uses the Labovian method to analyze an occupational therapy manager's narrative telling of her response to a managerial crisis—loss of several staff while trying to safeguard the existence of her department. A description of Labov and Waletzky's (1967) structure for narrative analysis is followed by a demonstration analysis and development of a model for the manager's style of social interaction. Finally, the usefulness of the Labovian method for occupational therapy researchers is discussed.
Occupational Therapy Faculty Attitudes toward the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in Their Educational Programs
Authors: Gitlow Lynn
Published: December 2014

This study investigated the attitudes of occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) educators toward the inclusion of students with disabilities in their educational programs. A nonexperimental design relying on a mailed survey was the methodology selected to examine the following research questions: (1) What are the attitudes of full-time OT and OTA educators who teach in accredited programs in the United States toward inclusion of students with disabilities in their OT programs? and (2) What factors are predictive of positive attitudes of OT faculty towards including students with disabilities in their educational programs? Results indicated that overall OT and OTA faculty have favorable attitudes toward including students with disabilities in their programs. However, consistent with the literature, these attitudes are hierarchical. In other words, attitudes toward inclusion of students with disabilities are different depending on the nature of the disability. Implications for future research are discussed.
Effects of Contextual Constraints on Reaching Performance in Adults without Disabilities: A Kinematic Study
Authors: Lin Keh-Chung , Tang Fuk-Tan , Chen Hsieh-Ching , Wu Ching-Yi , Shen I-Hsuan
Published: December 2014

Contextual constraints play an important role in determining motor behavior of any individual. Three major sources of constraints to action include the environment, organism, and task. This study was conducted to examine the effects of task constraints on reaching kinematics in adults without disabilities. Task constraints were varied by changing the functional level of task goal and functional specificity of target object. A drinking activity under four experimental conditions formed by the crossing of functional goal and object affordances was performed by 24 healthy young adults. Under the higher level of a functional goal, participants were asked to take a drink from a can of cola. The lower level of a functional goal involved bringing a can of cola to the mouth. The level of object affordances depended on whether a commercial label on the can was present (i.e., the enriched condition) or occluded (i.e., the impoverished condition). Results indicated that a higher functional goal with enriched affordances elicited significantly more efficient movements (i.e., shorter movement time and higher average velocity) than the condition of a higher functional goal with impoverished affordances that in turn produced faster movements than the condition of a lower functional goal with enriched affordances. Reaching for a lower functional goal with impoverished affordances elicited the least efficient movements among the four conditions. The findings lent some support for the modifiability of reaching kinematics through varying the task constraints and afforded implications for occupational therapy. Further research may explore therapeutic possibilities for training patients with neurological impairments to accomplish functional tasks more efficiently by affording enriched contexts. Directions for such research were discussed.
Reliability and Validity of Two Tests of Upper Extremity Motor Function Post-Stroke
Authors: Richards Lorie , Stoker-Yates Joni , Pohl Patricia , Wallace Dennis , Duncan Pamela
Published: December 2014

The Emory Motor Function Test (Wolf, Lecraw, Barton, & Jann, 1989) and the TEMPA (Test Évaluant les Membres superiors des Personnes Âgées) (Desrosiers, Hébert, & Dutil, 1991) are assessments of upper extremity (UE) motor skill. The TEMPA evaluates both speed and quality of movement. The Emory evaluates speed of movement; we modified the Emory by performing quality of movement ratings. The current study tests the inter-rater and test-retest reliability of these instruments in measuring the UE motor skills of individuals post-stroke. Scores on the Emory had inter-rater and test-retest interclass correlation coefficients of greater than .99. The speed of execution and the functional rating scores on the TEMPA also exhibited high inter-rater and test-retest reliabilities, interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) > .83. While the task analysis ratings for the unilateral TEMPA tasks and the combined ratings were reliable (ICCs > .83), the task analysis ratings for the bilateral TEMPA tasks were less reliable (ICCs ranged from .69 to <.1). Individuals with stroke performed more poorly on both the Emory and the TEMPA than those without stroke. We discuss additional strengths and weaknesses of using each instrument to assess motor skill deficits post-stroke.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Interactive Multimedia Computer-Based Patient Education Program in Cardiac Rehabilitation
Authors: Jenny Ng Yuen Yee , Fai Tarn Sing
Published: December 2014

The authors have developed a computer-assisted patient education program on exercise and heart health that uses hypermedia-programming techniques. The program design integrated interactive behavioral instructional strategies with attractive multimedia presentations. It also employed user-friendly computer input methods like touch screens to facilitate elderly clients' participation. The learning outcome of patients who were using the computer-assisted educational method was compared to that of patients using the conventional tutorial method. There were 48 cardiac patients (mean age = 58.81) participating in the tutorial-based education, and another 48 (mean age = 56.12) participating in the computer-assisted education program. Results of repeated measures analysis of variance showed that both the computer-assisted instruction (CAI) and tutorial groups had significant improvement in their exercise knowledge (F = 70.68, p, .001) and self-efficacy in applying exercise principles (F = 54.33, p, .002 before and after the training program. A test of between-subjects effects showed that there was a significant main group effect on the exercise knowledge change (F = 29.22, p, .002), but not on the exercise self-efficacy change CF = 1.68, p, .05). In spite of this, the results showed that the CAI group had significantly better exercise knowledge than the tutorial group in both the post-training and follow-up phases. The better learning outcome of the CAI group might be attributed to allowing students to study at their own pace, repeat the difficult parts, and interact with the program contents. Most of the subjects in the computer-assisted group stated they preferred this mode of learning. However, some of them preferred the tutorial method because they could seek help from the tutor when in doubt. From the present results, an interactive multimedia computer-assisted patient education program was demonstrated to be effective for cardiac education. The computer-assisted instructional method is recommended for public health education, such as disease prevention and patients' self-management of chronic diseases.
Patterns of Sensory Processing in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Authors: Dunn Winnie , Bennett Donna
Published: December 2014

The researchers conducted this study to compare the sensory responses of children whose primary diagnosis was Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and children without disabilities on the Sensory Profile, a parent-reporting measure of children's sensory responses in daily life (Dunn, 1999). Parents of 70 children 3 to 15 years old with a primary diagnosis of ADHD and parents of children without disabilities matched by age and gender completed the Sensory Profile. Researchers completed a series of Multivariate Analyses of Variance (MANOVA) with post hoc testing to compare the performance of the two groups of children. Children with ADHD differed significantly from children without disabilities in their sensory responsiveness based on Sensory Profile results. The Sensory Profile can contribute to diagnostic and program planning processes and increase understanding of the nature of the disorder of ADHD.
Perceived Changes in Self-Image and Coping Strategies of Mothers of Children with Disabilities
Authors: Helitzer Deborah L. , Cunningham-Sabo Leslie D. , VanLeit Betsy , Crowe Terry K.
Published: December 2014

Changes in the perceived self-images and coping strategies of mothers of children with special needs after they participated in a short-term occupational therapy intervention (Project Bien Estar) are discussed. We conducted focus groups to ascertain whether women's coping strategies and views of themselves had changed as a result of participation in the program. The results of this study found that participating in Project Bien Estar enabled participants to share their perceptions of their self-image such as feeling overwhelmed with their daily care routine, being socially isolated, losing their identity, and expecting less from their careers. Participants expressed that participating in the program helped them to feel strong, attractive, resilient, respected, and accepted. After participating in the program, they expressed they had gained coping skills such as increased ability to advocate for themselves and their child, more relaxed expectations about their responsibilities and what is needed to care well for their child, and increased self-care practices.
Validation of School Function Assessment with Elementary School Children
Authors: Hwang Jeng-Liang , Davies Patricia L. , Taylor Maureen P. , Gavin William J.
Published: December 2014

The present study was conducted to examine the validity of the School Function Assessment (SFA). The study sample consisted of 64 children: 29 in general education (GEN) without disabilities, 18 with learning disabilities (LD), and 17 with cerebral palsy (CP). Convergent validity was supported by the significant correlation (r values ranged from .56 to .72) found between the scores on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (classroom edition) to comparable scales of the SFA. Construct validity of the SFA using the known groups method was also supported. Significant differences in SFA scores among the 3 groups were found using the Kruskal-Wallis analysis of variance and multiple comparisons. The GEN group differed from the LD group in cognitive/behavioral subtests, the CP group differed from the GEN group in all areas of the SFA, and the LD and CP groups differed on the physical domain of the SFA. Finally, the discriminant analysis of scores on the SFA showed the high percentage of participants being correctly classified in the respective groups (93.1% for GEN, 55.8% for LD, and 88.2% for CP). These results provide new evidence for the validity of the SFA using methodologies not previously reported in the literature. Given the unique features as well as the provided psychometrical properties of the SFA, this recently developed functional assessment should be considered a valid instrument for use in school settings.
Elderly Inner City Women Who Return Home to Live Alone
Authors: Lysack Catherine L. , MacNeill Susan E. , Neufeld Stewart W. , Lichtenberg Peter A.
Published: December 2014

This study examined the status of 107 elderly inner city women who returned to their home after being in a geriatric rehabilitation unit at a large urban medical center. Prior to admission, all women had been living at home alone. After rehabilitation, 50 of the women were discharged directly to their homes, 26 followed within 3 months, 11 were back home alone by 6 months, and 20 additional women were still not home by 6 months. Results showed that, as measured by standardized assessments of physical functioning and cognition, the women who were most functionally independent returned home alone more quickly. Furthermore, those who achieved live-alone status some time after discharge (but not at discharge) did not report the same level of self-care and home maintenance task independence as women who were discharged home alone immediately at discharge. The findings raise questions about the minimum level of functional performance required to return home alone and the interaction of functional ability, assistance from others, and a variety of social and environmental factors on live-alone status.
Managing Changes in Everyday Occupations: The Experience of Persons with Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Nygård Louise , Öhman Annika
Published: December 2014

The aim of this study was to uncover how people with dementia respond to the problems and changes they experience in everyday occupations. Seven participants with dementia were included. Data were collected by means of repeated interviews and observations that focused on the person's experiences of competence and management in everyday occupations. The analysis was carried out from within a phenomenological perspective and resulted in a structure describing management strategies. It was concluded that the participants used a wide variety of strategies. Some strategies were directed toward managing the altered conditions caused by the disease while others served the purpose of responding to the occupational problems of everyday life. The latter strategies were of three types based mainly on environment, habituation, and cognition. Overall, the implicit and explicit cognitive awareness underpinning many strategies seems to call for great caution when assuming that people with dementia soon lose their awareness of disability.
Relationships between Cognitive Abilities and the Process Scale and Skills of the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) in Patients with Stroke
Authors: Kizony Rachel , Katz Noomi
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this study was: 1) to determine the strength of the relationships between cognitive components at the body function/impairment level to the assessment of motor and process skills (AMPS) at the occupational performance/activities level in persons following stroke; and 2) to examine which cognitive components best explain the variance of the AMPS score. Stroke is a major cause of disability in older age that can result in motor and/or cognitive impairments leading to functional disability. The assessment of AMPS is an activity of daily living (ADL) and instrument activity of daily living (IADL) evaluation that measures two aspects enabling occupational performance and motor and process skills. Subjects included 30 hospitalized patients 4 to 5 weeks following stroke. Among them were 17 men and 13 women with a mean age of 71.33 (SD = 8.39) who had been independent in ADL prior to the event. Instruments included the AMPS IADL tasks, Thinking Operations from the LOTCA, Contextual Memory Test, Rey Complex Figure-copy, Star cancellation from the BIT, and COGNISTAT. The study supports the existence of moderate relationships between cognitive components and the AMPS' process scale and skills, and the results add information about relationships between cognitive impairments and occupational performance that can help in treatment planning.
Paraplegia from Spinal Cord Injury: Self-Esteem, Loneliness, and Life Satisfaction
Authors: Tzonichaki Loanna , Kleftaras George
Published: December 2014

With advances in health care sciences, people with spinal cord injuries can now live to old age. Rehabilitation of the disabled is a dynamic process and should include not only attaining maximum function, but also receiving satisfaction with life in one's environment. Life satisfaction is thought to be the subjective part of quality of life, i.e., the feelings of the persons concerned about their functioning and circumstances. However, these feelings are influenced by self-esteem, the positive or negative attitude toward oneself, as well as life satisfaction and the effect of loneliness on self-esteem. Forty community-living adults with paraplegia from spinal cord injury from the metropolitan area of Athens responded to the Rosenberg's Self-Esteem Scale, the Revised UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Life Satisfaction Index. As expected, statistically significant correlations were obtained among self-esteem, life satisfaction, and loneliness. More specifically, the higher an individual's self-esteem: a) the higher the life satisfaction and b) the lower the feelings of loneliness experienced. Furthermore, there was a statistically negative relationship between loneliness and life satisfaction. Community mobility, architectural adaptations, and social support, as it is reflected through marital status and frequency of received visits, proved to be important factors in understanding loneliness, self-esteem, and life satisfaction. Implications for rehabilitation of individuals with spinal cord injuries are discussed.
Perceived Risk and its Effects on Quality of Movement in Occupational Performance of Well-Elderly Individuals
Authors: Thomas Julie Jepsen , Rice Martin S.
Published: December 2014

The purpose of this study was to determine whether elderly individuals would demonstrate differences in quality of movement when completing a water-pouring task under different levels of perceived risk (i.e., pouring hot water vs. pouring cold water during beverage preparation). Fifty individuals over the age of 65 (M=72.1 years, SD=6.3) participated in the repeated measures, counterbalanced design. Results indicated that participants used less efficient movement dynamics when pouring hot water (higher risk) than when pouring cold water (lower risk). Elders tended to take longer and make more adjustments when pouring hot water than when pouring cold water. Occupational therapists can use this information to better understand the movement dynamics needed during everyday occupations and design therapeutic interventions that appropriately challenge clients.
Enabling Computer Access: Introduction to the Test of Mouse Proficiency
Authors: Lane Alison , Ziviani Jenny
Published: December 2014

As the use of technological devices in everyday environments becomes more prevalent, it is clear that access to these devices has become an important aspect of occupational performance. Children are increasingly required to competently manipulate technology such as the computer to fulfil occupational roles of student and player. Occupational therapists are in a position to facilitate the successful interface between children and standard computer technologies. The literature has supported the use of direct manipulation interfaces in computing that requires mastery of devices such as the mouse. Identification of children likely to experience difficulties with mouse use will inform the development of appropriate methods of intervention promoting mouse skill and further enhance participation in occupational tasks. The aim of this paper is to discuss the development of an assessment of mouse proficiency for children. It describes the construction of the assessment, the content of the test, and its content validity.
Context and Goal-Directed Movement: The Effect of Materials-Based Occupation
Authors: Fasoli Susan E. , Trombly Catherine A. , Tickle-Degnen Linda , Verfaellie Mieke H.
Published: December 2014

This exploratory study investigated whether materials-based occupation elicited significantly better movement organization in the ipsilateral arm following left hemisphere stroke than imagery-based occupation. Five persons with left cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and 5 control participants performed functional tasks (e.g., slicing bread) under four conditions. During the materials-based condition, needed tools and objects were available for task completion. In the three imagery-based conditions, either the tool or object of the tool's action was present, or the participant was asked to simulate the task without objects. For all tasks, motor performance of persons with and without CVA was significantly more direct and less forceful during materials-based occupation. Movement time was significantly faster under this condition in three of the four tasks. The relationship between motor performance and context was reinforced. Persons with and without CVA adjusted their motor actions according to the affordances offered during materials-based occupation.
Habits and Personal Growth: The Art of the Possible
Authors: Brockelman Paul T.
Published: December 2014

What is the place of habit in the ongoing process of personal growth? From a phenomenological and existential point of view, habits are ways in which humans shape their everyday behavior and attitudes toward life into predictable patterns. These habits in turn become the basis for the emergence of personal identities as narrative interpretations of human lives. How humans go beyond their deep, habitual behavior and attitudes in a process of self-transcendence and spiritual renewal is the theme of this article. Such spiritual growth leads to a sense of liberation and possibility in one's life, a sense of being able.
The Sociology of Habit: The Perspective of Pierre Bourdieu
Authors: Swartz David L.
Published: December 2014

The work of French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu has stimulated new interest in habituated forms of conduct. His concept of habitus has become a leading reference in the growing sociological literature on theories of human action as practices. This article presents Bourdieu's concept of habitus by calling attention to its intellectual context and identifying the features that relate to the sociology of habit. The article identifies common characteristics of action regulated by habit and offers four programmatic implications for occupational therapy interventions.