bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
To Provide or Not to Provide Treatment? That is the Question
Authors: Kolehmainen Niina , Francis Jill , McKee Lorna 
Published: April 2015

It is generally accepted that whether or not a client receives occupational therapy should be based on the client's needs not on the therapist that the client sees. However, in the United Kingdom there is little evidence to show that treatment provision is similar between therapists or even that therapists share a common rationale for providing treatment. This research investigated paediatric occupational therapists' beliefs about and intentions to provide treatment for children with coordination difficulties. Ten paediatric occupational therapists were recruited from two National Health Service Scotland Health Boards. The data were collected at one time point. Intentions and beliefs about treatment provision were explored and measured both at general and at case (situation-specific) levels. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently. Statistical and thematic approaches to analysis were applied. The findings showed that the therapists shared similar general intentions and beliefs about providing treatment. However, the situation-specific intentions to provide treatment varied considerably between the therapists. The situation-specific intentions were characterised by consideration of the client's individual circumstances and a variation in the interpretations made about the information available. The beliefs that possibly contributed to the variation in the situation-specific intentions were also identified. This research informs the occupational therapy profession about issues related to the expectation that treatment provision is similar between therapists.
Using Theory to Underpin an Integrated Occupational Therapy Service through the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance
Authors: Boniface Gail , Fedden Tamsin , Hurst Heather , Mason Margot , Phelps Caroline , Reagon Carly , Waygood Sian 
Published: April 2015

The aim of this action research study was to embed the theoretical tenets of the Canadian Model of Occupational Performance and its structures in a way that was appropriate to, and would be used by, all staff within an integrated health and social care setting. The action research involved 10 phases of reflection and action, with data analysis occurring between the cycles. The findings showed the importance of taking time to embed theory before implementing model structures in order to prevent those structures, and particularly the paperwork, becoming superficial. In addition, the importance of using theoretical structures (models) flexibly and adapting them to particular services was identified. A more generally applicable finding was that occupational therapists can and should demonstrate their theory through their practice and that this can be done by using a model to illustrate their clinical and, more specifically, their conditional clinical reasoning (Mattingly and Fleming 1994). In addition, the demonstration of clinical reasoning proved vital in making the client-centred and occupational beliefs of the model overt. It was concluded that implementing theory and using occupation-based literature (Williams and Bannigan 2008) in this way can take a long time but is worthwhile because it provides a sound and strong base for the profession's identity.
Pilot Study of an Educational Programme for Caregivers of People Ageing with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Finlayson Marcia , Preissner Katharine , Garcia Jennifer 
Published: April 2015

The purpose of this study was to examine the outcomes and participant-reported benefits of a multiple sclerosis (MS) caregiver education programme called ‘Meeting the Challenges of MS’. Nineteen caregivers were recruited to this community-based pilot study; 12 completed all sessions. Occupational therapists facilitated five 2-hour weekly sessions, addressing strategies to problem solve the physical and emotional challenges of caregiving. Questionnaires were administered before and after the programme to determine if changes were achieved in caregivers' self-efficacy, abilities to prepare for and manage caregiving challenges, and abilities to monitor and implement personal health-promoting strategies. Focus groups obtained participants' feedback on the programme. All study procedures were approved by the university ethics committee. The participants reported that they were more prepared for their caregiving role (p = 0.02), were able to reframe their experiences positively (p = 0.01) and sought more practical assistance (p = 0.02). Some tests performed poorly and need to be re-examined to determine their potential for use in future studies. Feedback from the participants emphasised the value of interacting with and learning from other caregivers to develop effective problem-solving strategies and obtain peer support. The research team concluded that efforts are needed to address recruitment challenges and improve outcome measures to move this work forward. The participant feedback suggests that these efforts are worth pursuing.
An Evaluation of a Fatigue Management Intervention for People with Acquired Brain Injury: An Exploratory Study
Authors: Cooper Jacqui , Reynolds Frances , Bateman Andrew 
Published: April 2015

Fatigue is one of the most prevalent symptoms reported after an acquired brain injury, reflecting a probable combination of factors: pathology, medication side effects, mood or sleep disorders, reduced exercise tolerance, decreased nutrition and hydration. Despite its prevalence and the profoundly negative effects that fatigue has on quality of life, there is little evidence regarding the effectiveness of fatigue management interventions. This exploratory study investigated whether a weekly fatigue education group, lasting for 8 weeks, had an effect on reported fatigue, anxiety, depression, sleepiness and quality of life. Pre-intervention and post-intervention measures were taken using three standardised scales, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and the Short Form–36 quality of life measure, together with the unpublished Brain Injury Fatigue Scale. A 10-point rating scale was also used to assess fatigue on a weekly basis. In addition, the participants completed written qualitative self-reports concerning the impact of fatigue on daily life, their perceptions of fatigue and their fatigue management strategies. Seven people joined the programme. There was a significant change in the quality of life measure from pre-intervention to post-intervention, but not in the other measures. In written qualitative accounts, the participants reported managing their fatigue better and finding group support helpful. The results suggest a need for further research into the fatigue management for people with acquired brain injury.
Voluntary Work for Adults with Mental Health Problems: An Exploration of the Perspectives of Recruiters
Authors: Farrell Carol , Bryant Wendy 
Published: April 2015

Volunteering is often considered with people with mental health problems as a route to social inclusion and paid employment. In order to gain access to volunteering opportunities, liaison is required with voluntary organisations and their representatives, who are known as recruiters. This qualitative study explored the views of nine recruiters of volunteers, focusing on their perspectives on mental health problems and drawing on their experiences of recruiting people with mental health problems. The aim was to inform recommendations for strategies that might improve future placements. A purposive sample of nine recruiters from a London borough participated in semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The findings suggest that volunteer organisations reflect wider experiences of stigma and social exclusion within society. Although some recruiters attempted to be accommodating, significant barriers existed and led to a system of occupational apartheid. Overcoming this situation requires partnerships between occupational therapists, service users and voluntary organisations, working closely to secure a more inclusive place in society for people with mental health problems.
An Evaluation of a Preceptorship Programme for Newly Qualified Occupational Therapists
Authors: Morley Mary 
Published: April 2015

Following the introduction of preceptorship as a requirement for most newly qualified practitioners in the National Health Service in the United Kingdom, a preceptorship programme for occupational therapists was designed. This was the first of its kind within occupational therapy and was endorsed by the College of Occupational Therapists. Participation in preceptorship was intended to ease the transition of newly qualified occupational therapists. This paper offers a definition of preceptorship for the profession in the United Kingdom and reports on a small qualitative study that evaluated the extent to which the interventions of the preceptorship programme ameliorated the challenges of transition. The evaluation was conducted within a realist framework. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews from four pairs of newly qualified occupational therapists and preceptors during the pilot year. The findings suggest that the preceptorship programme was successful in supporting the development of new practitioners and that implementation was optimised through strong leadership, a learning culture and positive supervision. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge relating to the transitional experience of occupational therapists and recommends changes to the programme to optimise its effectiveness for practice.
A Survey of Burnout of the Mental Health Occupational Therapy Staff in the Psychiatric Hospital, Bahrain
Authors: Jahrami Haitham 
Published: April 2015

Emotional burnout is associated with decreased job performance and poor career satisfaction. It has special significance in mental health care settings, where clinicians experience psychological, emotional and physical stress. This study aimed to determine the extent to which occupational therapy staff employed in a Bahrain mental health setting were affected by burnout. Questionnaires were sent to all clinicians in the Psychiatric Hospital, Bahrain (n = 261). An effective response rate of 58% (n = 153) was achieved, with 13 of the responses being from the occupational therapy department. The research measure was the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), comprising emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and personal accomplishment. The occupational therapy staff experienced a high level of emotional exhaustion, moderate depersonalisation and high personal accomplishment. They differed from other groups on the depersonalisation scale, scoring higher than any other professional group. The results are congruent with those of previous studies and it is proposed that the focus of future research should be on identifying causes of burnout.
Reliability of P-drive in occupational therapy following a short training session: A promising instrument measuring seniors’ on-road driving competencies
Authors: Vaucher Paul , Di Biase Cyndia , Lobsiger Emma , Margot-Cattin Isabel , Favrat Bernard , Patomella Ann-Helen 
Published: April 2015

Introduction Occupational therapists could play an important role in facilitating driving cessation for ageing drivers. This, however, requires an easy-to-learn, standardised on-road evaluation method. This study therefore investigates whether use of ‘P-drive’ could be reliably taught to occupational therapists via a short half-day training session. Method Using the English 26-item version of P-drive, two occupational therapists evaluated the driving ability of 24 home-dwelling drivers aged 70 years or over on a standardised on-road route. Experienced driving instructors’ on-road, subjective evaluations were then compared with P-drive scores. Results Following a short half-day training session, P-drive was shown to have almost perfect between-rater reliability (ICC2,1 = 0.950, 95% CI 0.889 to 0.978). Reliability was stable across sessions including the training phase even if occupational therapists seemed to become slightly less severe in their ratings with experience. P-drive’s score was related to the driving instructors’ subjective evaluations of driving skills in a non-linear manner ( R2 = 0.445, p = 0.021). Conclusion P-drive is a reliable instrument that can easily be taught to occupational therapists and implemented as a way of standardising the on-road driving test.
Outline of a Sensory Integrative Approach with a Chronic Tactile Defensive Schizophrenic
Authors: Leveille Joanne 
Published: April 2015

This paper describes the formation of a sensory integrative programme in a provincial psychiatric institution. It describes the method used in selecting potential members for the group, the assessment battery, and the equipment used for the programme. It also presents a case study of a rather atypical male schizophrenic with very poor prognosis. The simple goal is to make the patient happier and more sociable. The study includes: a brief description of the client's behaviour, prior to and during treatment and, one year later; procedures used and the results gained from this approach.
Work Stress in Occupational Therapists Assessed by the Occupational Stress Indicator
Authors: Rees David W , Smith Simon D 
Published: April 2015

Levels and sources of work-related stress, measures of type A behaviour pattern and perceived locus of control, use of coping strategies and indicators of work-related stress (mental and physical ill health, sickness absence and job satisfaction ratings) were examined in 60 members of two district occupational therapy departments as part of a larger study of stress within health service employees. Comparisons were made with other professions allied to medicine (PAMs) and nurses on these measures and were used as the basis for comparing occupational stress variables across health service groups. Overall, occupational therapy staff reported similar levels of stress to junior hospital doctors, less than physiotherapists and most nursing groups (particularly those working with psychiatric patients); they were middle ranking amongst paramedical groups but experienced more stress than administrative and clerical staff and general managers. Occupational therapy staff scored lower than nurses and other PAMs, as a group, on measures of type A behaviour pattern (although they were equally ambitious) and had similar scores on perception of control items. They were ranked second of 17 in their reported use of a range of coping strategies. Whilst occupational therapy emerges from this study as an attractive profession (being ranked sixth of 17 NHS groups on job satisfaction), staff reported relatively high levels of emotional and physical ill health symptoms and a middle ranking for sickness absence. Thirteen (22%) of the occupational therapy staff had scores on either mental or physical ill health, or both, that were equal to or greater than the average score of patients attending clinical psychology departments with problems of anxiety or depression. The results of this first reported comparative study of workplace stress in occupational therapy staff in the UK are discussed and suggestions made for overcoming the unwanted effects of stress.
Anatomy Results in Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy: Why the Discrepancy?
Authors: Donovan Morag 
Published: April 2015

This study considers possible reasons for a small but recurring discrepancy between the second year anatomy results of occupational therapy and physiotherapy undergraduate students in Trinity College, Dublin. These students follow the same course together and sit a common examination, yet the physiotherapy students consistently achieve higher marks than the occupational therapy students. Two consecutive years of students, in total 115, were targeted and the results of their anatomy marks were compared with their university entrance points, by mean, to see if there was any correlation between the two. In addition, the question of the relevancy of anatomy (and, indeed, of four other basic sciences) to each profession was looked at. Students answered a ‘relevance questionnaire’ based on the pair comparison method and the results from these questionnaires were compared by graph. The results show that there is little correlation between entrance points and the anatomy results for both sets of students. However, there is enough evidence to suggest that the students' perceived relevance of anatomy to their profession may account for the discrepancy, in that the physiotherapy students feel that anatomy is more relevant than do the occupational therapy students.
A Preliminary Study Using a Daily Living Task to Assess Upper Limb Function: A Single Case Study of Upper Limb Hemiparesis
Authors: Stern Hilary Ilana 
Published: April 2015

A single case study was used to evaluate a daily living task as an assessment tool. It was carried out on a daily basis on a patient with upper limb hemiparesis, referred for rehabilitation, over a period of 2 weeks, in order to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment above that of spontaneous recovery. The task was broken down into six stages and each stage was assessed on a three-point scale. The results showed that performance in particular stages of the task could be used to guide treatment and was a quick and easy way to measure dally changes in the patient's functional status. However, it was difficult to separate the improvement due to treatment from learning effects and spontaneous recovery. There are limitations when carrying out a single case study in a rehabilitation setting which make more complicated studies difficult to pursue. The study did indicate that shoulder stability is required before proximal movements can be properly elicited. If further studies are carried out, a five-point rating scale may increase the sensitivity. Individual assessors and video recordings could be used for a more objective evaluation.
Occupational Therapy with Eating Disorders: A Study on Treatment Approaches
Authors: Lim Pin Ying , Agnew Patricia 
Published: April 2015

The incidence of two complex and serious eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, has increased markedly during the last decade. Despite much research, there is still no consensus on the aetiology or treatment of eating disorders. It has been recognised that multiple factors of causation are Involved and a multidisciplinary team of various health workers, including occupational therapists, is needed for optimal treatment. The aim of this pilot study was to determine treatment approaches currently used by occupational therapists in some major centres in Australia. It was found that, while respondents believed that psychological issues, cognitive distortions, dysfunctional families and societal pressures were major causes of eating disorders, the preferred treatment approaches appeared to be based on cognitive-behavioural and occupational dysfunction models. Implications for occupational therapy, limitations of the study and future recommendations are discussed.
Power and Pinch Grip Strength Recorded Using the Hand-Held Jamar® Dynamometer and B+L Hydraulic Pinch Gauge: British Normative Data for Adults
Authors: Gilbertson Louise , Barber-Lomax Sarah 
Published: April 2015

The purpose of this study was to establish British normative data for adults aged 15 to 92 years, using four different hand grips. A Jamar® dynamometer was used to measure power grip and a B+L hydraulic pinch gauge to measure tip, tripod and lateral grips. A sample of 130 men and 130 women from the Cambridgeshire area was tested, using standardised positioning and instructions. The results showed that male grip strength was stronger than female grip strength in all hand grips. In both men and women, power grip peaked between the ages of 15 and 49 years and declined gradually after the age of 50 years. Tip, tripod and lateral pinch grips did not decline noticeably until after the age of 70 years in women and, although there was a gradual decline in male tripod and lateral pinch grips after 65 years, male tip pinch grip showed no noticeable decline related to age. Normative data collected in this study were lower than norms reported in American studies.
Student Preparation for Paediatric Fieldwork
Authors: Mickan Sharon M 
Published: April 2015

Whilst the transition from academic to clinical environments is acknowledged to be stressful, students often feel unprepared for fieldwork, particularly in the area of paediatrics. Through examining the literature, it is proposed that fieldwork within specialty areas of practice, such as paediatrics, requires the development of specialist knowledge and skills. However, following an earlier small qualitative exploratory project, occupational therapy students Identified preparatory reading as the most common practical method of preparation. More than a year later, during guided interviews, a different cohort of students expanded upon the practices recommended by their peers and supported the literature In suggesting that both knowledge and skills need to develop in tandem. Students described situations where they utilised a generic basis to varying degrees for the development of specialist knowledge and skills. The model of self-directed learning, together with strategies of reflection and deep learning, has been identified as both a potential and an actual means for developing the required knowledge and skills within fieldwork settings. However, such learning strategies may need to be made very explicit for students who are preparing for paediatric fieldwork and a teaming pack has been proposed as a suitable method for conveying these strategies to students.
Anger: The Assessment and Treatment of Problematic Anger, Part 1
Authors: O'Neill Helen 
Published: April 2015

Many occupational therapists working in the field of mental health are now using anger management interventions as an Integral part of the treatment offered. The challenges of anger and aggression have become particularly topical because of the recent legislative changes in the provision of care of mentally Ill people. Research shows that anger is a predictor of aggression, so a method of assessing high levels of anger must in turn help to illustrate one of the risk factors of aggression. Part 1 of this article draws attention to the assessment of anger, introduces a newly developed measure — the Novaco Anger Scale, and offers a user's perspective based on a recent study.
How Reflective is Student Supervision? A Study of Supervision in Action
Authors: Martin Marion 
Published: April 2015

Reflective practice has been advocated by authors such as Schön, and Mattingly and Fleming, as a method by which professionals can become more effective. It could also be used during supervision sessions with students on placement as a way of teaching them the skills of occupational therapy. One of the basic assumptions of reflective practice is that there should be an equal and open relationship between supervisor and student. A small study was carried out to investigate the supervision of occupational therapy students on fieldwork. Three pairs of student and supervisor were studied using observation, interviews and analysis of tape recordings of supervision sessions. The results reflect those of similar studies of supervision by Schön and by Fish, namely, that the subjects' espoused theories did not always match their theories-in-use. Supervisors and students alike were not aware that, although they believed in active, student-centred learning, the supervisors were largely in control of the sessions. Students could have been encouraged more to express their feelings and ideas, and could have taken more opportunities to do so. These and similar findings imply that, as practitioners, we need to monitor our own professional performance through action research.