bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Socioeconomic Status on Hand Size and Strength, Vestibular Function, Visuomotor Integration, and Praxis in Preschool Children
Authors: Bowman O. Jayne , Wallace Brooke A.
Published: April 2012

Differences in hand size and strength, vestibular function, visuomotor integration, and praxis in preschool children as a function of socioeconomic status were investigated. Twenty-two children of lower socioeconomic status, aged 3 to 5 years, were each matched with a child of higher socioeconomic status on the basis of race, sex, hand dominance, age, height, and weight. Measures used were the Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration (Beery, 1982), hand size and strength, the Standing Balance subtests of the Southern California Sensory Integration Tests (Ayres, 1972), the Bowman Unilateral Hopping Test (Flannigan, 1987), the Southern California Postrotary Nystagmus Test (Ayres, 1975), the praxis tests of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT) (Ayres, 1984), and the Bowman Quality of Prone Extension Scale (Etheredge, 1987). Analyses with two separate Hotelling’s T2 for correlated samples (Huck, Cormier, & Bounds, 1974) revealed significant differences in hand size and strength as well as praxis, and subsequent post hoc analyses revealed better scores for the higher socioeconomic status group on right hand strength and on the Praxis on Verbal Command subtest of the SIPT. A paired t test also revealed that the higher socioeconomic status group scored better on visuomotor integration. Analysis with Hotelling’s T2 revealed no significant differences between the two groups on the vestibular measures.

The results of this study suggest that on certain tests used by occupational therapists, children from a higher socioeconomic status group may function at a higher developmental level than those from a lower socioeconomic status group. When interpreting clients’ test results, therefore, therapists should consider the possible influence of socioeconomic status.
Sensory Integrative Processing in Delinquent-Prone and Non-Delinquent-Prone Adolescents
Authors: Fanchiang Shan-Pin , Snyder Carolyn , Zobel-Lachiusa Jeanne , Loeffler Carol Bartolo , Thompson Mary Ellen
Published: April 2012

The purposes of this study were to obtain a preliminary description of the sensory integrative and practic abilities of 114 non-delinquent-prone adolescents aged 12 through 18 years and to compare their performances with those of 12 delinquent-prone adolescents with learning problems. Ten of the 17 subtests of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests (SIPT) (Ayres, 1989) as well as the Finger Posture Imitation Test (Druker, 1980) and the MacQuarrie Test for Mechanical Ability (MacQuarrie, 1925/1953) were administered to both groups. It was hypothesized that performance on some tests would correlate with age in the non-delinquent-prone adolescents. It was also hypothesized that some delinquent-prone adolescents with learning problems would perform significantly worse on the tests of sensory integrative and practic abilities than would the non-delinquent-prone adolescents. A data analysis indicated that performance on the praxis tests, Manual Form Perception, Graphesthesia, and Bilateral Motor Coordination showed a significant age correlation. The results of this study indicated a difference between the two groups, and it was concluded that the delinquent-prone group performed more poorly on all of the praxis-related tests and on the absolute values of the tests of Postrotary Nystagmus, Standing and Walking Balance, and Bilateral Motor Coordination. Some of the vestibular and praxis-related tests, therefore, may still provide useful information on children older than 8 years of age.
Incidence of Atypical Pencil Grasps Among Nondysfunctional Adults
Authors: Bergmann Kerstin P.
Published: April 2012

Three groups of nondysfunctional adults were observed for atypical pencil grasps (i.e., nondynamic tripod grasps) used during functional writing situations: 58 occupational therapy students signing out equipment, 314 voters signing for their ballots, and 113 medical students taking a written examination. Among the total right-handed population, the most frequently used grasp was the dynamic tripod grasp (86%). The second most frequently used grasp was the lateral tripod grasp (10%). Other grasps were observed less often (less than 2% of the time). The surprisingly high incidence of the lateral tripod grasp suggests that this grasp may be considered a functional alternative to the traditionally accepted dynamic tripod grasp. Only 1% of the total sample showed immature grasp patterns (i.e., cross-thumb and static tripod grasps), thus indicating that most adults develop a mature grasp for functional handwriting.
The Test of Orientation for Rehabilitation Patients: Interrater Reliability
Authors: Deitz Jean C. , Tovar Vicky S. , Thorn Deborah W. , Beeman Clara
Published: April 2012

The Test of Orientation for Rehabilitation Patients (TORP) (Deitz, Beeman, & Thorn, in press) was developed for use with patients with brain injuries in inpatient rehabilitation settings. It was designed to assess orientation to person and personal situation, place, time, schedule, and temporal continuity. Interrater reliability for the TORP was examined with the use of 34 brain-injured and 35 non-brain-injured patients. Two occupational therapists trained in administering the TORP, as specified in the test manual (Dietz et al., in press), served as the examiners. One therapist administered and scored the test while the second therapist observed and scored the test for the same subject. Intraclass correlation coefficients, used as indexes of reliability for the scoring of the total test and subtests, ranged from .89 to 1.00 for the non-brain-injured group and from .94 to .99 for the brain-injured group. These findings suggest that an occupational therapist can reliably score the TORP for patients both with and without brain injuries.
How High Do We Jump? The Effect of Reimbursement on Occupational Therapy
Authors: Howard Brenda S.
Published: April 2012

This paper explores the extent to which third-party reimbursement dictates occupational therapy practice. A literature review was used to examine the history and meaning of reimbursement in regard to occupational therapy. It was found that the profession has altered its definition, practice, management, ethics, and professional response as a result of changes in reimbursement. Reimbursement policies reflect societal influences and are shaping occupational therapy in several ways. Control has shifted to third-party payers, allowing them to define occupational therapy; use of the medical model is being rewarded by reimbursement; the language used to discuss the profession has changed to accommodate the insurance and other industries; and values that dominate society are being reinforced. Conflict between the values of society and the values of the occupational therapy profession is a source of struggle for many clinicians. If the causes of the reimbursement-imposed constraints on practice are understood, occupational therapists will be free to be proactive in issues of health care policy.
Using the HeadMaster With Macintosh, Apple II, and MS-DOS Computers
Authors: Anson Denis
Published: April 2012

When it was first introduced, the Prentke Romich HeadMaster allowed a person with good head control to access a Macintosh computer. The hardware and software combination allowed the user with a disability to type, to pull down menus, and to print, but only on the Macintosh. The HeadMaster itself provided an excellent replacement for the mouse. The keyboard software, however, could be difficult to use and would not work with some programs.

In the past 2 years, new hardware and software options have made the HeadMaster a much more valuable tool for the general computer user with a disability. This article discusses these options and their strengths and weaknesses. This information may assist the therapist prescribing alternative access equipment in making appropriate hardware and software choices.
Development of a Treatment Rating in School Systems: Service Determination Through Objective Measurement
Authors: Farley Sharon K. , Sarracino Tamara , Howard Patricia M.
Published: April 2012

This paper introduces the Capital Area Treatment Rating (CATR) being developed by the occupational and physical therapists of the Capital Area Intermediate Unit in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. This rating assists therapists in identifying children in special education who require occupational or physical therapy treatment. The CATR consists of two measurement categories – functional levels and clinical judgment factors – each of which is rated on a 4-point ordinal scale. The scores from each of these categories are then added together for a final rating score. A pilot test involving 180 children in special education indicated that the need for treatment is most consistently associated with a score of 28 points or above on the CATR. A survey of 17 pediatric occupational therapists revealed strong support for the instrument’s content and resulted in a revised version. Suggestions for future research and ongoing development are discussed, as are general guidelines for use of the instrument in special education occupational therapy programs.
Achieving Intersubjective Understanding: Examples From an Occupational Therapy Treatment Session
Authors: Crepeau Elizabeth Blesedell
Published: April 2012

Occupational therapists, like other health care professionals, must balance their application of treatment techniques with an understanding of their patients’ life experiences. This paper reviews the literature from interpretive and medical sociology regarding the interplay between professional power and the achievement of an understanding of another person. It analyzes how an occupational therapist, during a single treatment session, enters into her patient’s life-world and simultaneously controls and manages the treatment process. The concepts of knowledge schemata (the expectations and beliefs people bring to a situation) and footings (the shifts in alignment, or focus, that occur during interaction) are central to this analysis. The process of achieving a balance between professional power and an understanding of the patient’s experience may be fostered in education and in clinical supervision through increased emphasis on the importance of understanding the values and beliefs of patients and on the development and refinement of interactive skills.
Occupational Therapy Diagnostic Reasoning: A Component of Clinical Reasoning
Authors: Rogers Joan C. , Holm Margo B.
Published: April 2012

The occupational therapy process involves the assessment and treatment of problems in occupational status. Assessment entails the sensing and defining of patients’ problems and is accomplished through diagnosis. As a process, diagnosis involves the creation of a clinical image of the patient through cue acquisition, hypothesis generation, cue interpretation, and hypothesis evaluation. This sequence of cognitive activities is called diagnostic reasoning. As a product, diagnosis summarizes a patient’s occupational deficits in terms of occupational role performance, occupational performance, and the components of occupational performance. To serve adequately as a basis for planning intervention, the occupational therapy diagnosis describes the problem, explains the potential cause of the problem, gives the cues whereby the problem is recognized, and names the pathologic agent. Occupational therapy assessment is broader than diagnosis and includes a delineation of the patient’s assets as well as deficits. In the resolution of problems in occupational status, assets may be used to offset deficits. The clinical image represents a balanced view of occupational status by reflecting assets and deficits.
Anthropology, Occupational Therapy, and Action Research
Authors: Mattingly Cheryl , Gillette Nedra
Published: April 2012

This paper describes the research process and methodology used in the American Occupational Therapy Association/American Occupational Therapy Foundation Clinical Reasoning Study. This study examined the clinical reasoning of occupational therapists through a 2-year ethnography of therapists at one hospital site. The research was innovative in several important respects. One important innovation was a combined ethnographic and action research design that involved collaboration between the research team and those therapists being studied. Therapists who were research subjects became actively involved in examining and reflecting on their own practice through group analysis of videotaped sessions with clients. One outcome of this action research component was that the study served as both a research and a staff development project.
What is Clinical Reasoning?
Authors: Mattingly Cheryl
Published: April 2012

This paper offers a concept of clinical reasoning that differs from many of the traditional definitions of clinical reasoning in occupational therapy and the health professions in general. Here, clinical reasoning in occupational therapy is described as a largely tacit, highly imagistic, and deeply phenomenological mode of thinking. It is argued that clinical reasoning involves more than the ability to offer explicit reasons that justify clinical decisions because it is also based on tacit understanding and habitual knowledge gained through experience. Clinical reasoning also involves more than a simple application of theory, particularly theory as understood in the natural sciences, because complex clinical tasks often require that the therapist improvise a treatment approach that addresses the unique meaning of disability as it relates to a particular patient.
Falls and Fear of Falling Among Elderly Persons Living in the Community: Occupational Therapy Interventions
Authors: Walker J. Elizabeth , Howland Jonathan
Published: April 2012

Each year, about one third of the population over 65 years of age experiences at least one fall (Perry, 1982). Assessment of the incidence of falls and the prevalence, intensity, and covariates of fear of falling among community-based elderly persons was conducted through interviews of 115 residents in a housing development (mean age = 78 years). Fifty-three percent reported having fallen in recent years, 32% in the last year. Fear of falling ranked first when compared with other common fears. In a logistic regression model predicting limitation of activity independent of risk factors for falling, fear of falling was marginally significant (p = .06). The results of the study show that falls are frequent and fear of falling prevalent among the community-based elderly. A comprehensive program designed to reduce the risk of falls is presented.
Rigor in Qualitative Research: The Assessment of Trustworthiness
Authors: Krefting Laura
Published: April 2012

Despite a growing interest in qualitative research in occupational therapy, little attention has been placed on establishing its rigor. This article presents one model that can be used for the assessment of trustworthiness or merit of qualitative inquiry. Guba’s (1981) model describes four general criteria for evaluation of research and then defines each from both a quantitative and a qualitative perspective. Several strategies for the achievement of rigor in qualitative research useful for both researchers and consumers of research are described.
Beyond Performance: Being in Place as a Component of Occupational Therapy
Authors: Rowles Graham D.
Published: April 2012

Emphasis on knowing and doing as focal concerns of occupational therapy has tended to overshadow being as an essential ingredient of human experience. This article advocates greater concern with understanding our clients’ being in place – that is, their immersion within a lifeworld that provides the culturally defined spatiotemporal setting or horizon of their everyday lives. It is suggested that naturalistic and qualitative research strategies are appropriate for the exploration of this realm of experience. Illustration is provided from an ethnographic study of aging in a rural Appalachian community. The time–space rhythms of taken-for-granted behavior, the significance of the surveillance zone (space within the visual field of the dwelling), and the way in which the environment may come to be a component of the self, are identified as themes within being in place that have significant implications for enhancing occupational therapy practice.
Occupational Science: Academic Innovation in the Service of Occupational Therapy’s Future
Authors: Clark Florence A. , Parham Diane , Carlson Michael E. , Frank Gelya , Jackson Jeanne , Pierce Doris , Wolfe Robert J. , Zemke Ruth
Published: April 2012

Occupational science is a new scientific discipline that is defined as the systematic study of the human as an occupational being. A doctoral program in occupational science has been established at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, With its emphasis on the provision of a multidimensional description of the substrates, form, function, meaning, and sociocultural and historical contexts of occupation, occupational science emphasizes the ability of humans throughout the life span to actively pursue and orchestrate occupations. In this paper, occupational science is described, defined, and distinguished from other social sciences. A general systems model is presented as a heuristic to explain occupation and organize knowledge in occupational science. The development of occupational science offers several key benefits to the profession of occupational therapy, including (a) fulfillment of the demand for doctoral-level faculty members in colleges and universities; (b) the generation of needed basic science research; and (c) the justification for and potential enhancement of practice.
Enabling or Disabling? Students’ Attitudes Toward Persons With Disabilities
Authors: Lyons Mike
Published: April 2012

Persons with disabilities are devalued by society. Occupational therapists may be contributing to this devaluation through their attitudes. This study focused on the attitudes of undergraduate students. From a sample of 223 occupational therapy students and 326 business students at an Australian university, it was found, with the use of the Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons Scale–Form A (Yuker, Block, & Young, 1966), that the attitudes of freshman occupational therapy students did not differ significantly from those of their business-major peers. Furthermore, the occupational therapy students’ attitudes did not vary with the years of undergraduate education completed. However, those students who had had contact with persons with disabilities beyond the context of a caregiver–care receiver relationship (i.e., those students who had assumed roles that emphasized valued attributes of the person with a disability) had significantly more positive attitudes than did those students without such contact. Educational curricula must address the issue of students’ attitudes and, in particular, the facilitation of valued social role contact with persons with disabilities.
Generalization of Treatment: A Multicontext Approach to Cognitive Perceptual Impairment in Adults With Brain Injury
Authors: Toglia Joan Pascale
Published: April 2012

Cognitive perceptual remedial approaches used by occupational therapists in the treatment of adults with brain injury have been criticized because of claims that the effects are not generalizable. Little information is available, however, that can guide the therapist in directly addressing the generalization process. This paper proposes a multicontext treatment approach that uses five components identified in the cognitive psychology literature as being critical to the process of generalization: (a) use of multiple environments, (b) identification of criteria for transfer, (c) metacognitive training, (d) emphasis on processing strategies, and (e) use of meaningful activities. A case report is used to illustrate this treatment approach.
Application of Motor Learning Principles in Occupational Therapy
Authors: Poole Janet L.
Published: April 2012

The processes underlying skill acquisition depend on the nature of the task and the stage of the learner. In addition, feedback and practice are two potent learning variables when used appropriately in the instruction of motor tasks. Occupational therapists involved in the training and retraining of motor skills can benefit from knowledge of instructional methods used by coaches and physical educators. This paper reviews commonly accepted principles of motor learning and applies these principles to occupational therapy treatment. The stage of the learner, type of task, feedback, practice, and facilitation of skill acquisition are emphasized. Specific examples of how occupational therapists can use motor learning principles in treatment are given.
Positioning for Head Control to Access an Augmentative Communication Machine
Authors: Bay Julie L.
Published: April 2012

The purpose of this paper was to study the effect of therapeutic positioning on the functional use of augmentative communication equipment. Recent literature on therapeutic positioning as it affects muscle tone and functional activities is reviewed. The effect of positioning intervention on rate and accuracy of head-controlled typing on an augmentative communication machine was measured. The rate of typing was found to increase significantly and the percentage of accuracy was found to decrease significantly with positioning intervention. A third measure combining rate and accuracy (accuracy rate) also increased enough to reach statistical significance. These results suggest that positioning changes do affect head control in the functional use of a communication machine. Because of the combined areas of expertise needed to adequately address positioning, head control, communication, and overall function, a team approach to clients with these concerns is advocated.
Wheelchair Cushions for Persons With Spinal Cord Injury: An Update
Authors: Garber Susan L. , Dyerly Lynda R.
Published: April 2012

Occupational therapists frequently prescribe wheelchair cushions to reduce the risk of pressure sores in patients with spinal cord injury. In an earlier study (Garber, 1985b), Roho cushions were prescribed for the greatest number of subjects studied. The present study of 197 subjects updates these data and describes current prescription patterns, the use of cushions over time, satisfaction with prescribed cushions, and the occurrence of pressure sores with prescribed cushions. The study shows that the Jay cushion was prescribed most frequently for the current subjects, although it was not recommended for all persons with spinal cord injury. In the second phase of the present study, involving 30 subjects, 30% of the subjects discontinued use of the prescribed cushion. Skin breakdown and the discovery of alternative solutions were given as primary reasons. There was no significant difference in the incidence of pressure sores between subjects who continued to use their prescribed cushions and those who did not. This research supports the conclusion of earlier studies that no one wheelchair cushion is universally effective for all persons and that individual evaluation and routine reassessment are essential in reducing the occurrence of pressure sores.
Occupational Therapy in the Department of Veterans Affairs: Focus on Health Care of the Elderly Veteran
Authors: Thalheimer Linda B.
Published: April 2012

The Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) operates the largest integrated health care system in the world (VA, 1989), with designated departments and programs designed to meet the long-term care needs of the aging veteran. Occupational therapy is an important intervention to maximize the quality of life of older persons. Because of the increasing number of aging veterans and the national shortage of occupational therapists, the VA has been devising programs to recruit and retain occupational therapists in VA medical centers. The combination of long-term care programs and the VA’s commitment to ongoing research, education, and occupational therapy services points to a promising outlook for care of our aging veterans.
Long-Term Care and Federal Policy
Authors: Somers Frederick P.
Published: April 2012

A major deficiency of national health care policy is the lack of a structured and comprehensive system of long-term care. A review of existing federal programs reveals that substantial resources are being expended to care for the elderly. Program structures and requirements, however, are frequently skewed toward institutional care to the exclusion of more appropriate home- and community-based services. A recent federal study highlighted the dimensions of the long-term-care problem and proposed a compelling remedy, but a consensus continues to elude policymakers, and the prospects for fundamental reform are uncertain.
The Lazarus Project: The Politics of Empowerment
Authors: Kari Nancy , Michels Peg
Published: April 2012

The problems associated with institutionalized care of the frail elderly are complicated and require interdisciplinary problem solving. This paper explains the conceptual framework and initial implementation of the Lazarus Project, a pilot project in a nursing home that offers an alternative governing philosophy for residential living. The framework is a community model based on democratic governance, which empowers those who work and live within the nursing home facility. Implementing a community model in an institution is a political process that requires an awareness of power relationships and structures. Strategies for institutional change are directed at alteration of the hierarchical power structures so that power is shared and decision making collaborative.
Occupational Therapy Service: Individual and Collective Understandings of the Founders, Part 2
Authors: Peloquin Suzanne M.
Published: April 2012

This inquiry continues to explore the understandings of patient, therapist, and occupation held by the founders of the National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy. The first part of this search, published in the April 1991 issue of AJOT, discussed personal narratives and anecdotes about George Edward Barton, Susan Elizabeth Tracy, and William Rush Dunton, Jr. This second part extends that discussion through an examination of the shaping influence of World War I on Dunton’s beliefs and through consideration of the views held by Eleanor Clarke Slagle, Herbert J. Hall, Susan Cox Johnson, and Thomas Bessell Kidner. Influenced by contemporary historical forces as well as their personal experiences, the founders shared a common understanding that the right occupation could help persons in need. Personal narratives found within the early occupational therapy literature illustrate each founder’s unique understanding of the manner in which occupation might address contemporary problems. Each view contributed to the development of a multifaceted therapy. Exploration of the multiple interpretations that shaped a common idea may help current therapists to better understand their heritage of caring and to compare it with current practices.
Pragmatic Learning and Media Courses at New York University
Authors: Breines Estelle , Avi-Itzhak Tamara
Published: April 2012

The responses of students who were exposed to pragmatic and conventional learning models with regard to activities were analyzed and compared for content. Seventeen categories representing the students’ thoughts and feelings about crafts emerged from the content analysis. These categories were divided into three content areas: pragmatic concepts, nonpragmatic concepts, and feelings. The 17 concepts were subjected to statistical analysis (i.e., group t tests). As anticipated, exposure to the pragmatic learning model resulted in significant positive changes in pragmatic concepts and feelings and, to a lesser degree, in nonpragmatic concepts. Additionally, exposure to the pragmatic learning model resulted in fewer negative remarks about crafts and their use in therapy. These findings were supported by a case study and may aid educators in designing media education courses.
The Effects of Habilitative Hospital Admission on Self-Care, Self-Esteem, and Frequency of Physical Care
Authors: Bolding Deborah J. , Llorens Lela A.
Published: April 2012

The effects of a habilitative hospital admission for the multidisciplinary teaching of activities of daily living were investigated with 3 children with spina bifida and 1 child with juvenile arthritis. Specific evaluation tools included analysis of individualized goals, the Klein-Bell Activity of Daily Living Scale (Klein & Bell, 1979), the Physical Child Care Record (Johnson & Dietz, 1985), and the Piers–Harris Children’s Self-Concept Scale (Piers & Harris, 1967). The children were evaluated on hospital admission, at discharge, and 3 months after discharge. The results show that hospital admission can be an effective means of increasing independence and decreasing frequency of physical care by parents. Some changes in self-esteem occurred in both directions; however, these changes may be attributed to variables other than hospitalization or changes in self-care status.
Self-Esteem of Persons With Cerebral Palsy: From Adolescence to Adulthood
Authors: Magill-Evans Joyce E. , Restall Gayle
Published: April 2012

A longitudinal study of self-esteem in 22 adolescents with cerebral palsy is reported. The subjects were matched with nondisabled adolescents by age, sex, IQ, and school. Seven years later, 39 of the 44 subjects (mean age = 22.8 years) completed the Tennessee Self-Concept Scale (Roid & Fitts, 1988), the Social Support Inventory (McCubbin, Patterson, Rossman, & Cooke, 1982), and a demographic questionnaire with some open-ended questions. As adolescents, the girls with cerebral palsy scored significantly lower than the other groups on physical, social, and personal self-esteem; however, as adults, these subjects were no longer significantly different from the other groups. Male subjects with cerebral palsy had self-esteem scores similar to those of the nondisabled groups in both adolescence and adulthood. Demographic information is summarized. The factors that the subjects identified as leading to changes in self-esteem were relationships and experiences. The low self-esteem scores indicate that psychosocial occupational therapy intervention with adolescent girls with cerebral palsy and with some adults with cerebral palsy would be appropriate.
Occupational Therapy in Geriatric Mental Health
Authors: Trace Susan , Howell Timothy
Published: April 2012

Elderly persons with psychiatric disorders often experience a variety of functional deficits that affect their independence, safety, and activity level. The occupational therapist’s role in addressing these needs is discussed, as are the possibilities for improvement of the elderly person’s autonomy, safety, and integrity. Barriers to optimal service provision in the health care and social service systems as well as in occupational therapy are addressed.
Occupational Therapy and Education: A Shared Vision
Authors: Schwartz Kathleen Barker
Published: April 2012

This paper describes the visions that the educational progressives and founders of occupational therapy expressed for their respective professions, and it examines the thematic ideas that each held in common. These shared themes centered on humanistic values, a belief in occupation, and the promotion of scientific research. The parallels in thinking found within the two groups are examined, and the possible influence of the progressive education movement on the development of occupational therapy is suggested. This analysis is placed within the context of the progressive period of American history, 1900 to 1920.
Point of Departure (A Play About Founding the Profession)
Authors: Bing Robert K.
Published: April 2012

Through a combination of recorded conversations, published speeches, and correspondence, insights are gained into some perspectives of William Rush Dunton, Jr., MD (1868–1966), one of the founders of the occupational therapy movement. His views on the spirit of research and the differentiation of occupational therapy and physical therapy are offered. His personal feelings about some of his contemporaries – Adolf Meyer, Eleanor Clarke Slagle, and George Edward Barton – are also related. The events leading to the creation of the National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy in 1917, the forerunner of the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc., are detailed.
The Reconstruction Aides
Authors: Low Jaclyn Faglie
Published: April 2012

The reconstruction aides, civilian women who served in World War I, are credited with an influential role in the development of occupational therapy. Their task was to provide treatment in the form of occupation to enable servicemen suffering from wounds or battle neurosis to return to the battlefront. Although some occupational therapy aides were occupational therapists, many were teachers, artists, and craftspersons. This paper traces the history of the reconstruction aides, describes the women who served, and recounts their experiences. The relationships between reconstruction aides and other professions suggest the origins of current problems of professional identity and role delineation.
Cross-Cultural Assessment of Process Skills
Authors: Fisher Anne G. , Liu Yihfen , Velozo Craig A. , Pan Ay Woan
Published: April 2012

A standardized activities of daily living evaluation that has acceptable psychometric qualities, can relate discrete component skills to functional performance, includes culture-relevant test items, is standardized on culture-specific samples, and is free of culture bias is needed to evaluate diverse cultural populations. The Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) (Fisher, 1990a) offers a unique solution. The AMPS consists of 35 motor and process skill items assumed to represent two universal taxonomies that are free of cultural bias. The study described in this paper focused on the 20 process skill items of the AMPS process skills scale.

To test the hypothesis that the AMPS process skills scale is suitable for cross-cultural applications. a translation of the AMPS was calibrated on a group of 20 Taiwanese subjects. The validity and reliability of the AMPS process skills scale were examined when applied to this sample. Examination of reliability included the extent to which rater scoring remained stable over time.

The results revealed that the AMPS process skills scale has high intrarater reliability and is valid when applied to young nondisabled Taiwanese subjects. The results suggested that the AMPS could be applied to Taiwanese samples. However, further investigation is needed to determine whether Taiwanese activities can be calibrated onto the same scale as North American activities to make a single cross-cultural AMPS.
Fine Motor Activities in Elementary School: Preliminary Findings and Provisional Implications for Children With Fine Motor Problems
Authors: McHale Kathleen , Cermak Sharon A.
Published: April 2012

This study was designed to obtain a detailed picture of the fine motor requirements in regular elementary school classrooms. This knowledge is critical for occupational therapists in working with children with fine motor and handwriting problems who are mainstreamed into regular classes. The allocation of time to fine motor activities and the type of fine motor tasks children are expected to perform in elementary school were investigated through the observation of six elementary school classrooms. A written minute-by-minute record of one whole day’s activities in each classroom showed that 30% to 60% of the day was allocated to fine motor activities, with writing tasks predominating over other manipulative tasks. Implications for children with fine motor difficulties include the need for modifications to volume of work, types of tasks, and materials.
Activity Positioning and Ischial Tuberosity Pressure: A Pilot Study
Authors: Park Christopher A.
Published: April 2012

Ipsilateral ischial tuberosity pressure of 12 subjects seated in wheelchairs was measured during reach to an activity positioned on both an upright and a flat plane. Ischial tuberosity pressure during cross-body, forward, and lateral reach was measured with a static pressure measurement device. Differences between flat-plane readings and upright-plane readings were analyzed with a t test; no significant difference was obtained. A repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed significant differences in ischial tuberosity pressure between cross-body, forward, and lateral reach in the flat plane activity. However, no significant difference was found between cross-body, forward, and lateral reach in the upright-plane activity. Results of this study support the theory that forward and lateral positioning of activity can supplement standard techniques for relieving pressure.
Effects of Linear Vestibular Stimulation on Body-Rocking Behavior in Adults With Profound Mental Retardation
Authors: Dave Charul A.
Published: April 2012

The effects of linear vestibular stimulation on body-rocking behaviors in adults with profound mental retardation were studied. A single-system multiple baseline design across 3 subjects was used. The design included three phases spread over a period of 9 weeks. An interval time sampling procedure was used to collect data. Data from the 3 subjects were graphed and interpreted through visual inspection. Trend lines were computed with the celeration line approach to supplement the visual inspection of the data. The results demonstrated a decrease in body-rocking behaviors during the treatment and follow-up phases for Subject 2 but no obvious change in performance for Subjects 1 and 3. A lengthier treatment period and selection of subjects with similar body-rocking frequencies are suggested for further research.
Embracing Our Past, Informing Our Future: A Feminist Re-Vision of Health Care
Authors: Hamlin Roxie Black
Published: April 2012

Using a feminist perspective, this paper explores the roots of the practice of healing and medicine. It traces the role of women in health care from prehistorical times, through the present, and into the future discussing the changing paradigms that the author identifies as (a) the Prototypic Paradigm: Mysticism and Healing; (b) the Scientific Paradigm: Curing; and (c) the Paradigm of Inclusion: Caring, Curing, and Healing. The role and status of women in society are reflected within these paradigms, and the changing status of the profession of occupational therapy is discussed within this framework. The unique skills and contributions of occupational therapy more closely fit within the Paradigm of Inclusion and can support us as health care leaders within the changing world of the 21st century.
A Mother’s Work: Two Levels of Feminist Analysis of Family-Centered Care
Authors: Pierce Doris , Frank Gelya
Published: April 2012

The following case describes 5 years of a mother’s care for her child with multiple chronic conditions, in the neonatal intensive care unit and at home. Because caregiving is primarily a female activity, a feminist approach is used. This mother’s efforts on behalf of her son show how work within the domains of direct medical care, normal mothering care, coordination of equipment and supplies and professionals, and synthesis of meaning emanated from her definition of motherhood. The case suggests interventions in family-centered care, offers an examination of two levels of feminist analysis for their usefulness to occupational therapy, and provides an opportunity to examine the topic of motherhood within feminism.
Occupational Therapy Treatments for Constructional Deficits
Authors: Neistadt Maureen E.
Published: April 2012

Occupational therapists use both adaptive and remedial approaches to perceptual retraining in adults with head injury. This experimental treatment outcome study compared the effects of adaptive and remedial treatments for constructional deficits on meal preparation competence and on constructional abilities in adult men with head injury. Forty-five subjects, 18 to 52 years of age, in long-term rehabilitation programs were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups. A remedial group (n = 22) received individual training with parquetry block assembly, and an adaptive group (n = 23) received individual training in food preparation activities. Both groups received training for three 30-min sessions per week for 6 weeks, in addition to their regular rehabilitation programs. Results of analyses of variance and paired t tests on perceptual and functional test scores showed task-specific learning in both groups and suggested that training in functional activities may be the better way to improve performance in such activities in this population.
Instructing Occupational Therapy Students in Information Retrieval
Authors: Griffin Nancy L. , Schumm Robert W.
Published: April 2012

The effectiveness of a brief program designed to teach occupational therapy students enrolled in a graduate research methods class to conduct searches of four electronic databases was investigated. Students in the experimental class read an instructional booklet and received approximately 1 hour of supervised practice time using compact disk – read-only memory (CD-ROM) equipment. Questionnaire data revealed that compared with the students in the control class, the students completing the training program reported being significantly more familiar with six of seven key concepts and indicated significantly higher levels of usage of the four databases studied in the program.
Spatial Neglect: New Issues and Their Implications for Occupational Therapy Practice
Authors: Herman Edith W. M.
Published: April 2012

Competent clinical practice relies on scientific theory to explain phenomena and to provide the rationale for rehabilitation strategies. Despite research advances and new insights, no unified theory has yet been offered to explain all aspects of the puzzling neglect syndrome. To find clinical relevance for new discoveries, theoretical models have to be integrated into assessment procedures and treatment strategies. The aim of this article is to briefly review recent theories about spatial hemineglect with emphasis on their potential use for practice, assessment strategies, and rehabilitative approaches.
A Mobility Skills Training Program for Adults With Developmental Disabilities
Authors: McInerney Claudia A. , McInerney Maurice
Published: April 2012

Twenty-nine adults with developmental disabilities were trained by an occupational therapist to use city buses for leisure outings to local shopping malls. Program evaluation was based on the number of times each program participant used his or her mobility skills to make an independent leisure outing. These data were collected for 1 year after each person left the program and were analyzed with the use of multiple regression procedures. The results revealed that the participants maintained their mobility skills for 1 year. Older women who shared common leisure interests as well as persons who were afforded more intensive individualized training were especially likely to use the city bus for leisure outings after the treatment program ended. This study demonstrates the long-term effectiveness of occupational therapy when specific treatment goals are matched with individualized training sequences for persons with developmental disabilities.
Retaining Occupational Therapists in Rehabilitation Settings: Influential Factors
Authors: Freda Maureen
Published: April 2012

The purpose of this study was to identify the factors considered by occupational therapists in their decision to leave or to remain at a present job. Fifty-five occupational therapists practicing in freestanding rehabilitation hospitals in the Philadelphia metropolitan area were surveyed regarding general satisfaction, rewarding and stressful aspects of their current job, and personal or professional reasons to consider leaving a job. The responses were grouped by the therapists’ years of experience as a framework for drawing conclusions. The results show that years of experience affects what is important to therapists at their jobs; for example, therapists who have been working for 1 year value different aspects of their jobs than therapists who have been working for over 7 years. In general, the most rewarding aspect of an occupational therapist’s job was seen to be patient care; the most stressful, paperwork. In deciding to leave a job, the occupational therapists surveyed most frequently rated the following items as highly important: salary, productivity expectations, professional growth opportunities, peer relationships with other occupational therapists, and vacation time.
T’ai Chi and Postural Control in the Well Elderly
Authors: Tse Shuk-Kuen , Bailey Diana M.
Published: April 2012

In this study, we investigated the potential value of t’ai chi in promoting postural control of the well elderly. T’ai chi, a traditional Chinese exercise, is a series of individual dancelike movements linked together in a continuous, smooth-flowing sequence. Performance on five balance tests of 9 t’ai chi practitioners was compared to that of 9 nonpractitioners. An analysis of variance demonstrated that in three of the tests, the t’ai chi practitioners had significantly better postural control than the sedentary nonpractitioners (p < .05). It was also found that men performed significantly better than women in both the practitioner and nonpractitioner groups on the same three tests (p < .01).
The Appraisal Model of Coping: An Assessment and Intervention Model for Occupational Therapy
Authors: Gage Marie
Published: April 2012

This paper presents a new synthesis of the coping literature, the Appraisal Model of Coping. It is based largely on the theoretical concepts of the cognitive relational theory of coping and emotion (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984, 1987) and social cognitive theory (Bandura, 1977). The model provides a conceptual template to guide occupational therapy intervention with respect to assisting patients to cope better with the effects of their disease. It explains the influence of many factors that affect the person’s ability to cope with the disease process as well as the effect of feedback concerning the efficacy of the coping plan on future coping efforts.
An Industrial Model for Assisting Employers to Comply With the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990
Authors: Stockdell Susan M. , Crawford Melinda S.
Published: April 2012

Innovative opportunities exist for occupational therapists to expand their role and assume a more active role in helping employers comply with the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (Public Law 101–336). This article proposes an industrial model to facilitate earlier employer involvement and compliance with Title I of the ADA. It introduces the process for implementation of the Industrial Model of Rehabilitation Management (developed by the second author), defines the therapist’s role, presents a clinical example, and discusses weaknesses and strengths of the model. Therapists are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Industrial Model proposed to assist the employer’s implementation of the ADA.
Autistic Disorder: A Neuropsychological Enigma
Authors: Huebner Ruth A.
Published: April 2012

Autism is increasingly viewed as an expression of an unidentified neurological disorder. Because understanding of neurological dysfunction is basic to evaluation and treatment in occupational therapy, this article provides a comprehensive and critical review of the literature since 1985 concerning the neuropsychology of autistic disorder. The research is categorized into four basic types: (a) neuropsychological testing of functional abilities, (b) treatment studies based on neuropsychological hypotheses, (c) autistic-related diseases and genetic disorders, and (d) neuroanatomical and neurophysiological studies. The research shows a spectrum of neurological impairments within the brain stem, cerebellum, midbrain, and frontal lobe. These impairments are associated with deficits in socioemotional skills, sensory processing, motor planning, and cognitive flexibility. This research suggests that persons with autistic disorder need evaluation and treatment of a wide spectrum of functional deficits.