bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of a Sensory Integration Program on Behaviors of Inpatients With Dementia
Authors: Robichaud Line , Hébert Réjean , Desrosiers Johanne 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Objectives. Dementia is the disease most frequently leading to admission in long-term care institutions, primarily because persons with this disease exhibit several behavioral problems. The objective of this study was to measure the efficacy of the sensory integration program developed by Ross and Burdick in improving the functioning of persons with dementia.
Method. Forty subjects with dementia (28 women, 12 men, mean age of 78.4 years) in three different institutional settings in Quebec City, Canada, were randomly assigned to the study (n = 22) or control (n = 18) group. Subjects in the study group participated in three 45-min sessions of a sensory integration program per week for 10 weeks. Outcomes were measured using the Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist and the Psychogeriatric Scale of Basic Activities of Daily Living.
Results. The sensory integration program had no significant effect on the behaviors of the study group.
Conclusion. Before this type of program is labeled inefficacious, other studies are necessary to determine whether modifying the frequency of sessions, the number of subjects, and the measuring instruments would lead to similar results.
Prediction of Preschool Sensory and Motor Performance by 18-Month Neurologic Scores Among Children Born Prematurely
Authors: Lane Shelly J. , Attanasio Carla Soares , Huselid Rebecca Farmer 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Objectives. Premature birth places a child at risk for a number of academic and behavioral deficits. The challenge currently facing interventionists is to identify at an early age those preterm children who will develop such deficits. Identified children can then be targeted for intervention to forestall deficits at school age.
Method. This study examined the use of a neurologic assessment, administered at 18 months of age, to identify children who will have difficulties at preschool age. Premature children identified as neurologically normal or neurologicaliy suspicious at the age of 18 months were tested with the Miller Assessment for Preschoolers.
Results. Although there was some variability in performance, as a group the children classified as neurologically suspicious at 18 months continued to fall into a risk category at 4 years of age.
Conclusion. Because such categorization may predict inadequate performance during the school-age years, monitoring of the child’s development is warranted.
Infant Mental Health in Occupational Therapy Practice in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Olson Judith A. , Baltman Kathleen 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
The Work of supporting an infant’s emotional development and mental health begins in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). It depends on understanding the family and uses the parallel processes involved in relationship building to maximize the environment for the optimal development of the infant in the NICU. Occupational therapy service provision is discussed in light of knowledge about the developmental work of the full-term neonates and their parents and the corresponding work of infants in the NICU and their families. A brief vignette of occupational therapy services provided in the context of a relationship-focused infant mental health model is included.
Neurobehavioral Assessment of High-Risk Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Authors: Miller Margaret Q. , Quinn-Hurst Mary 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Neurobehavioral organization describes infants’ abilities to organize themselves within their central nervous system maturation and environment. As part of infants’ environment, caregivers can structure the environment to support infants’ development. Care of the high-risk infant emphasizes support of infants’ emerging neurobehavioral organization. This article describes the theoretical rationale of neurobehavioral organization, effect on the infant and family, and assessments available to the neonatal occupational therapist for use with high-risk infants. Information gained via neurobehavioral assessment can be used to engage parents in better understanding their infant’s behaviors and interact at a level appropriate with their infant.
The Influence of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Caregiving Practices on Motor Functioning of Preterm Infants
Authors: Mouradian Laurie E. , Als Heidelise 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Objectives. Experimental design intervention studies have demonstrated that a model of individualized developmental care based on specific behavioral observation improves medical and behavioral outcome for very small preterm infants. It is proposed that infants who were not directly involved in an experimental intervention study per se, but were patients in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where such studies took place and the model was adopted as the standard of care, demonstrate some of the same benefits as the infants in the experimental study.
Method. The study was a retrospective descriptive analysis of an existing data set. The functioning of two cohorts of infants, comparable medically and demographically and cared for in an NICU where developmental care research was conducted and subsequently adopted as the standard of care, was measured after discharge with the Assessment of Preterm Infants’ Behavior (APIB). Cohort I was cared for before the first study of individualized developmental care in the NICU; Cohort II was cared for after the individualized developmental care approach was adopted as the standard of care for the NICU.
Results. Cohort II infants demonstrated better scores than Cohort I infants on 8 out of 23 summary variables, 6 of which reflect improved motor functioning. They also showed significantly better scores on 7 of the 17 specific motor variables of the APIB.
Conclusion. Infants cared for in an NICU with an individualized developmental care approach showed improved motor system functioning compared to infants cared for in the same NICU before the approach was adopted. It is speculated that the individualized developmental approach to care based in the synactive theory of development contributed to the documented improvements. This finding would indicate that functioning of preterm infants, particularly in terms of their motor systems, can be influenced by modification in caregiving.
Person–Environment Assessments in Occupational Therapy
Authors: Letts Lori , Law Mary , Rigby Patty , Cooper Barbara , Stewart Debra , Strong Susan 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Occupational therapists have begun to recognize the importance of considering how the environment influences occupational performance. Models of person–environment fit provide a theoretical context within which occupational therapists can consider the influence of the environment on function. The challenge for occupational therapists is to select assessments that incorporate concepts of person–environment fit. However, limited awareness of appropriate environmental assessments that have undergone psychometric testing has limited their introduction into clinical practice. This paper reviews 41 environmental assessments and considers each in terms of its purpose, environmental attribute, environmental application, clinical utility, instrument development, and psychometric testing. A case example illustrates the applicability to the practice of occupational therapy.
Somatosensory Processing Abilities of Very Low–Birth Weight Infants at School Age
Authors: DeMaio-Feldman Diane 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Objective. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between somatosensory processing abilities of children at school age and their earlier experiences in the intensive care nursery as very low–birth weight (VLBW) infants.
Method. The subjects were 35 VLBW children at school age (20 girls, 15 boys) who were free of congenital deformity and developmentally appropriate for gestational age. The subjects were part of an ongoing longitudinal study. Birth weight, number of days supported by mechanical ventilation, and number of days in the neonatal intensive care unit were examined in relation to somatosensory functions. Somatosensory functions measured were manual form perception, kinesthesia, finger identification, graphesthesia, and localization of tactile stimuli.
Results. VLBW children were significantly different on all measures of somatosensory processing when compared with the standardization group.
Conclusion. Further research on the VLBW infant’s somatosensory functioning will add to the existing body of knowledge concerning development and guide practice. The finding that the infants in this study, who did not have therapy intervention, later presented diminished somatosensory functioning supports the need to develop measures of somatosensory development for use in assessments and treatment during all developmental phases.
Defining the Specialization of Pediatric Occupational Therapy
Authors: Case-Smith Jane 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Objectives. Occupational therapists who work primarily with children were surveyed regarding their skill levels in competencies that define pediatric practice.
Method. The subjects were 90 advanced practitioners who received specially certification in pediatric occupational therapy in 1992 and 52 inexperienced practitioners with 5 or fewer years’ experience. Respondents rated themselves from needs assistance to highly skilled on 94 competencies.
Results. A principle components analysis of the 142 surveys identified six primary constructs that described related areas of skill in the respondents: child evaluation, communication and consultation, working with families, understanding service provision systems, use of assistive technology, and neonatology and feeding. Child evaluation, with emphasis on developmental framework, analysis of sensory integration, and neuromotor function, was the strongest construct; respondents rated it the highest. Communication and consultation with team and family members also received high ratings. The advanced practitioner respondents rated themselves higher than the inexperienced practitioner respondents in 73 of the 80 competencies in the factors identified. The differences were greatest in the competencies of analysis of sensory processing and integration, analysis of neuromotor components, and consultation with other professionals.
Conclusion. Findings suggest that advanced practitioners develop expertise in sensory integration and neuromotor analysis, and that evaluation and consultation are important skill areas in advanced occupational therapy practice.
Strategies for Negotiating Preemployment Agreements
Authors: Perry Robert , Crist Patricia 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Student preemployment agreements are an emerging form of employee-sponsored financial support for students. Forms of financial support for students include the preemployment agreement, sign-on bonus, employment bonus, scholarship, loan, stipend, and grant. Various professional, legal, and ethical issues are involved in the student–employer negotiation of the preemployment agreements. Students may consider financial support for education, type of practice setting, or location of future employment as primary benefits of preemployment agreements. Fieldwork facilities may identify therapist recruitment as the primary goal when offering a financial incentive to a student. Academic fieldwork coordinators may list preservation of the therapist–student relationship or adherence to the fieldwork agreement reached between the academic program and the fieldwork facility as a primary goal. In this article, guidelines for the practical use of preemployment agreements are outlined for use by students and professionals in academic and practice settings.
The Fullness of Empathy: Reflections and Illustrations
Authors: Peloquin Suzanne M. 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Seven core values are said to undergird the profession of occupational therapy, with empathy serving as a hallmark of one of those values – personal dignity. This inquiry explores the meaning of empathy within a practice that holds occupation at its center. The literature on empathy in both philosophy and the behavioral sciences yields cogent thoughts about the fullness of empathy and its characteristic actions. The Healing Heart, the biography of a pioneer therapist, Ora Ruggles, shows the manner in which occupational therapists can be empathic in their practice. These reflections and illustrations serve to sharpen the vision of occupational therapists as persons who reach for both the hands and the hearts of others.
Mentorship Experiences in a Group of Occupational Therapy Leaders
Authors: Schemm Ruth Levine , Bross Theodore 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Objectives. The development of occupational therapy leaders is a long-held goal of many members of the American Occupational Therapy Association and of state associations. The initiation of mentor programs is a common means to accomplish this goal. These programs take time and effort, and, although occupational therapists have described how mentorship programs work in the literature, there are few articles that describe the actual mentorship experiences of occupational therapy leaders.
Method. To study the experiences of elected occupational therapy leaders, a 30-item questionnaire was distributed at the annual meeting of the Committee of State Association Presidents and completed by 53 respondents. Results were analyzed, and cross tabulations were run between selected items.
Results. Respondents were frequently exposed to role models, were assisted by sponsors, were mentored by other occupational therapists, and served as mentors themselves. There was little evidence that the respondents were mentored by high-powered individuals who helped launch their careers.
Conclusion. More than half of the respondents were mentored by other occupational therapists, and only 29% of the respondents reported that they surpassed the status and position of their mentors. Plans to initiate mentorship programs should include activities that promote powerful leaders who move beyond the status and position of their mentors, so that occupational therapists can represent the interests of the profession to others.
Health Care Concerns Related to Lifting: An Inside Look at Intervention Strategies
Authors: Laflin Krystal , Aja Diane 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
As members of injury prevention and injury management teams, physical therapists and occupational therapists have the opportunity to evaluate back stress associated with patient-lifting activities. In this study three mathematical formulas are presented that can be used to objectively assess health care workers’ maximum safe lifting capacity for moving patients. Recommendations to reduce the rate of back injury in health care workers include the use of lifting machines for moving patients. mandatory in-service education on body mechanics, and employee assistants programs that improve job satisfaction and worker morale.
Three Faculty-Facilitated, Community-Based Level I Fieldwork Programs
Authors: Rydeen Kay , Kautzmann Lisette , Cowan Mary K. , Benzing Penny 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Finding sufficient placements for students’ Level I fieldwork experiences has become a major challenge in occupational therapy education and has led to the increased involvement of faculty members in facilitating these experiences. The conceptualization, site selection, program implementation, and outcome of three faculty-facilitated Level I fieldwork programs, designed for occupational therapy fieldwork students at Eastern Kentucky University, are presented here. The first program involved moving a faculty member and students to a small town in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky for 4 weeks and assigning the students to pediatric fieldwork at local agencies. The second, organized and developed by a faculty member and implemented by faculty members and students, provided an enrichment opportunity to adult consumers of psychosocial services. The third, also organized and developed by one faculty member and implemented by faculty members and students, provided day-care services to persons with Alzheimer’s disease. In all three programs, persons receiving services as well as the agencies, students, and faculty members benefited from the experience. The use of faculty role models is recommended to demonstrate and reinforce the application of theory to practice.
Fieldwork in Schools: A Model for Alternative Settings
Authors: Griswold Lou Ann Sooy , Strassler Beth Seybold 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Objective. An exploratory study was conducted at the University of New Hampshire to increase the number of school-based fieldwork opportunities for occupational therapy students and to guide the development of a model for first-time fieldwork supervisors in schools.
Method. Responses to a questionnaire completed by 119 occupational therapists working in schools in northern New England provided a description of both school-based occupational therapy practice and of their needs as supervisors. Interviews with 12 occupational therapists who had supervised fieldwork students in schools provided qualitative information.
Results. Findings suggested that school-based practice issues such as working part time, traveling between schools, and using variety of service delivery models created particular challenges for fieldwork supervisors in schools. A process of addressing fieldwork supervisors’ concerns during recruitment and in a fieldwork supervisor seminar and providing on going support resulted in successful fieldwork experiences for occupational therapy students.
Discussion. This process of studying a practice setting in order to develop a model for fieldwork that addresses the uniqueness of the setting may be used to develop fieldwork opportunities in other practice settings as well.
Applied Research During Fieldwork: Interdisciplinary Collaboration Between Universities and Clinics
Authors: Bloomer Judith S. 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
This article describes the concept of incorporating occupational therapy research during fieldwork. Three models are presented that use applied research within a framework of collaboration between community clinicians and occupational therapy education programs. These models include an established honors baccalaureate program in Canada (Model 1) and suggested modifications of this model both for an undergraduate program (Model 2) and for a combined entry-level postbaccalaureate occupational therapy certificate/interdisciplinary graduate program (Model 3) in the United States. Occupational therapy clinicians and academic educators who work in areas where collaborative research relationships between universities and community clinics are not already established are encouraged to consider adopting or modifying one of the models described in this article.
Use of Standardized Activities of Daily Living Rating Scales in Spinal Cord Injury and Disease Services
Authors: Watson Anne H. , Kanny Elizabeth M. , White David M. , Anson Denis K. 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Objective. Although standardized activities of daily living (ADL) rating scales offer advantages in reliability and consistency of reporting, the literature has revealed that most occupational therapists tend to use informal assessments and reporting methods. This study investigated the use of standardized ADL rating scales by occupational therapists who treat patients with spinal cord injury and disease (SCI/D).
Method. Fifty-two SCI/D rehabilitation sites were selected by stratified random sampling, and surveys were completed by the occupational therapist in each site who worked most extensively with patients with SCI/D. Occupational therapists at 49 of the sites completed the survey.
Results. Survey results indicated that 68% of the respondents tend not to use standardized ADL rating scales in their work with SCI/D patients. Of those who used standardized ADL rating scales, the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) was more widely used than any other Most respondents learned about this measure on the job. Many of the respondents indicated that a limitation of the FIM was its inability to detect progress in their patients with SCI/D.
Discussion. The results indicate that although widely used, the FIM may need to be supplemented by other standardized ADL rating scales in order for a therapist to objectively document the progress made by patients with SCI/D. To be able to choose the most appropriate assessment tools, students and practicing therapists need to be educated in a variety of standardized ADL rating scales.
To Fail or Not to Fail? A Course for Fieldwork Educators
Authors: Ilott Irene 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Objective. Assigning a failing grade to a student is one of the most important yet problematic responsibilities of a fieldwork educator, for it challenges both personal and professional values. This article describes and evaluates a 1-day course designed to prepare educators for this responsibility.
Method. The course was offered five times in 1989 and 1990 by the Derby School of Occupational Therapy, Derby, England, and was attended by 101 fieldwork educators. Surveys were administered to these educators immediately after the course and again 4 and 12 months later.
Results. Respondents reported increases in confidence and in their ability to differentiate between students’ competence and incompetence. These changes were related to three factors: an understanding of the affective responses associated with a fail scenario, the reinforcement of effective methods of supervision, and the maintenance of professional standards.
Conclusion. It is recommend that the topic of failure be included in all fieldwork educator training courses.
Building Inclusive Community: A Challenge for Occupational Therapy
Authors: Grady Ann P. 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
Occupational therapy was founded on values of choice, relevance, and active participation in meaningful occupations. To assure choice in daily living, learning, work, and play for persons with disabilities or significant health issues, occupational therapy practitioners are challenged to gain increased understanding of the unique culture and community of each person and family with whom they work; create opportunities for these persons to develop their capabilities in community settings of their choice; promote more interactive models of practice in which the practitioner affects the arrangements between the person and society; work with communities to welcome the gifts of diversity; and develop skill in analyzing environments and facilitating environmental interaction. The environment category of the spatiotemporal adaptation theory is expanded and a communication model for collaboration in building individual community is proposed as means for addressing the challenges.
A Problem-Based Learning Curriculum for Occupational Therapy Education
Authors: Royeen Charlotte Brasic 
Published: April 2012

Abstract
To prepare practitioners and researchers who are well equipped to deal with the inevitable myriad changes in health care and in society coming the 21st century, a new focus is needed in occupational therapy education. In addition to proficiency in clinical skills and technical knowledge, occupational therapy graduates will need outcome competencies underlying the skills of critical reflection.
In this article, the author presents (a) the rationale for the need for change in occupational therapy education, (b) key concepts of clinical reasoning and critical reflection pertaining to the outcome such change in occupational therapy education should address, (c) problem-based learning as a process and educational method to prepare occupational therapists in these competencies, and (d) the experience of the Program in Occupational Therapy at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Virginia, in implementing a problem-based learning curriculum.